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The empire built by the
Maurya dynasty under Emperor Ashoka united most of modern South
Asia in the third century BCE. From 180 BCE, a series of
invasions from Central Asia followed, including those led by the
Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians & Kushans in the
north-western Indian Subcontinent. From the third century CE,
the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient
India's "Golden Age." While the north had larger, fewer
kingdoms, south India had several dynasties such as the
Chalukyas, Cholas, Pallavas and Pandyas, which overlapped in
time and territory. Science, engineering, art, literature,
astronomy, and philosophy flourished under the patronage of
these kings.
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at the Rock Shelters of
Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of
human life in India. The first known permanent settlements
appeared over 9,000 years ago and gradually developed into the
Indus Valley Civilization, dating back to 3300 BCE in western
India. It was followed by the Vedic Civilisation, which laid the
foundations of Hinduism and other cultural aspects of early
Indian society. From around 550 BCE, many independent kingdoms
and republics known as the Mahajanapadas were established across
the country.
Paintings at the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.The
empire built by the Maurya dynasty under Emperor Ashoka united
most of modern South Asia in the third century BCE. From 180
BCE, a series of invasions from Central Asia followed, including
those led by the Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians and
Kushans in the north-western Indian Subcontinent. From the third
century CE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as
ancient India's "Golden Age." While the north had larger, fewer
kingdoms, south India had several dynasties such as the
Chalukyas, Cholas, Pallavas and Pandyas, which overlapped in
time and territory. Science, engineering, art, literature,
astronomy, and philosophy flourished under the patronage of
these kings.
Following invasions from Central Asia between the tenth and
twelfth centuries, much of north India came under the rule of
the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal dynasty. Mughal
emperors gradually expanded their kingdoms to cover large parts
of the subcontinent. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms,
such as the Vijayanagara Empire, flourished, especially in the
south. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the Mughal
supremacy declined and the Maratha Empire became the dominant
power. From the sixteenth century, several European countries,
including Portugal, Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom
started arriving as traders and later took advantage of the
fractious nature of relations between the kingdoms to establish
colonies in the country. By 1856, most of India was under the
control of the British East India Company. A year later, a
nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units and
kingdoms, variously referred to as the First War of Indian
Independence or Sepoy Mutiny, seriously challenged British rule
but eventually failed.
Since independence, India has experienced sectarian violence and
insurgencies in various parts of the country, but has maintained
its unity and democracy. It has unresolved territorial disputes
with China, which in 1962 escalated into the brief Sino-Indian
War; and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965,
1971 and in 1999 in Kargil. India is a founding member of the
Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations (as part of British
India). In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test.
This was followed by five more tests in 1998. Significant
economic reforms beginning in 1991 have transformed India into
one of the fastest-growing economies, adding to its global and
regional clout. |
