Early Medieval India
c. 600–1200 CE for UPSC — Harsha, the tripartite struggle, Rajput states, Arab and Turkish invasions, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Cholas and regional temple styles.
SyllabusGS I · History of India (Prelims); Indian culture — salient aspects of art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times (Mains GS I)
This chapter covers roughly 600 to 1200 CE — from Harshavardhana to the eve of the Delhi Sultanate. No single power held north India for long: Kannauj was fought over by the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and then by Rajput dynasties, while Arab and Turkish armies arrived in the north-west. In the south, the Pallavas, Chalukyas and, above all, the Cholas built strong states and some of India’s greatest temples.
What UPSC asks
- Prelims: rulers and their inscriptions or courtiers (Aihole, Uttaramerur, Banabhatta, Al-Biruni, Kalhana, Vijnaneshvara); temple–dynasty pairs (Shore temple, Kailasa, Brihadisvara, Khajuraho, Konark, Modhera, Belur, Ramappa); Chola local government terms; foreign travellers.
- Mains GS I: Chola administration and village assemblies; regional temple styles (Nagara, Dravida, Vesara); Chola bronzes; the cultural flowering behind political fragmentation; maritime links with South-East Asia.
Key sub-topics
| Sub-topic | Focus |
|---|---|
| North India | Harsha, the tripartite struggle for Kannauj, Rajput dynasties, Kashmir |
| Invasions | Arabs in Sindh (712), Mahmud of Ghazni, Muhammad Ghori and Tarain |
| Deccan and south | Pallavas, Chalukyas of Badami and Kalyani, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, Hoysalas, Kakatiyas |
| Culture | Temple architecture, bronzes, literature, Nalanda and Vikramashila |
Topic pages