Indian History timeline chart

Ancient India

Period: Prehistoric to AD 700

 There were activities of Homo erectus in the Indian subcontinent 20
lakh years ago and of Homo sapiens since 70,000 BC.
 The first inhabitants of Indian subcontinent might have been tribal
like:
o Nagas in North-East
o Santhals in East-India
o Bhils in Central India
o Gonds in Central India
o Todas in South India
 These people speak Austric, pre-Dravidian languages like Munda
and Gondvi.
 Aryans and Dravidians are supposed to be immigrants who came
later to the sub-continent.
Paleolithic Period (2 million BC – 10,000 BC)
 Important Palaeolithic sites are Kaladgi Basin, Bhimbetka, Hunsgi,
Kurnool Caves, and Narmada Valley,
 Tools made up of lime stone
 Fire was discovered
Mesolithic Period (10,000 BC – 8,000 BC)
 Microliths was found at Brahmagiri, Narmada, and Gujarat
 Domestication of animals and Cattle rearing were started in this
period
 Significant climatic change happened
Neolithic Period (8000 BC – 4,000 BC)
 Wheel discovered and agriculture was started in this period
 Inamgaon is an early Neolithic village
 The major megalithic Sites are Brahmagiri and Adichanallur
 Important Neolithic Sites:
o Hallur(Andhra Pradesh)
o Mahagara(Uttar Pradesh)
o Maski
o Paiyampalli(Andhra Pradesh)
o Sangana Kaller
o Utnur
o Burzahom (Kashmir)
o Chirand (Bihar)
o Daojali Hading(Tripura and Assam)
o Gufkral (Kashmir)
 o Kodekal
o Koldihwa(Uttar Pradesh)
o Mehrgarh (Pakistan)
o Takkala Kota
Indus Valley Civilization (BC 2700 – BC 1900)
Chalcolithic Period (4000 BC – 1,500 BC)
 It is also known as Copper Age and considered part of Bronze Age.
Iron Age (BC 1500 – BC 200)
 Vedic Period and Arrival of Aryans
 Basic books of Hinduism, Vedas were composed in this period.
 Rise of Jainism and Buddhism
 Mahajanapadas
 Magadha empire- Bimbisara of Haryanka Kula
 Sisunga dynasty – Kalasoka (Kakavarnin)
 Nanda empire – Mahapadma-Nanda, Dhana-Nanda
 Persians – Greek arrival: Alexander 327 BC
Mauryan Empire (321-185 BC)
 322–298 BCE- Chandragupta
 298–272 BCE- Bindusara
 268–232 BCE – Ashoka

Maurya Empire
(322 BCE–180 BCE)

Chandragupta (322–297 BCE)

Bindusara (297–272/268 BCE)
Ashoka (272/268–232 BCE)
Dasharatha (232–224 BCE)
Samprati (224–215 BCE)
Shalishuka (215–202 BCE)
Devavarman (202–195 BCE)
Shatadhanvan (195–187 BCE)
Brihadratha (187–180 BCE)

 Mauryan Kingdoms was succeeded by

o Sunga (181-71 BC)
o Kanva (71-27BC)
o Satavahanas (235-100BC)
o Indo-Greeks, Parthians (19-45AD)
 o Sakas (90BC-150AD)
o Kushanas(78AD)
o Cholas
o Pandyas
o Cheras

Gupta Kingdom (300AD – 800AD)

 The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire
 Samudra Gupta of Gupta kingdom is known as Indian Napoleon

Gupta Empire
320 CE–550 CE

Sri Gupta (240 – 280)

Ghatotkacha (280 – 319)
Chandragupta I (320 – 335)
Kachagupta (335)
Samudragupta (335 – 380)
Ramagupta
Chandragupta II (380 – 413/415)
Kumaragupta I (415 – 455)
Skandagupta (455 - 467)
Purugupta (467 – 473)
Kumaragupta II (473 - 476)
Budhagupta (476 – 495)
Narasimhagupta (495 – ?)
(Bhanugupta) (circa 510)
Vainyagupta (circa 507)
Kumaragupta III (circa 530)
Vishnugupta (540 – 550)

Post-Gupta or Contemporary Gupta

 The deterioration of Imperial Guptas, Magadha and its capital,
Pataliputra
 After the fall of the Guptas, five major centers of power immersed in
north India
o Vakataka
o Mukharis
 o Harshvardana
o Chalukyas
o Pallavas
o Sena
o Deva
o Hoysala
o Kakatiya
o Kalachuri

 Also, Hunas, Maitrakas, Pushyabhutis, Gaudas, Rajputs, Senas and

Chauhans succeeded later.