After the Mauryan period, new kingdoms grew in different parts of the subcontinent. Trade also grew rapidly, and traders travelled long distances carrying goods by land and sea. At the same time, pilgrims travelled to visit places associated with the Buddha and other religious teachers.
This chapter tells us about the rulers who came after the Mauryas, the growth of trade, the development of towns like Puhar, and the journeys of traders and pilgrims. We will also learn about the spread of Buddhism to distant lands like Sri Lanka and China, and the stories of the Bodhisattvas.
After the decline of the Mauryan empire, several powerful kingdoms grew up: - The Kushanas, who ruled over a vast region stretching from Central Asia to the north-western parts of India. - The Satavahanas, who ruled over parts of western and southern India. - The Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras, who ruled over the southernmost part of the subcontinent, known as Tamilakam.
The Kushanas were one of the most powerful kingdoms. Their most famous ruler was Kanishka, who lived around 1900 years ago. Kanishka ruled from Peshawar and Mathura. During his rule, Buddhism spread far and wide, and many Buddhist thinkers gathered for a famous meeting called the Fourth Buddhist Council.
In the southernmost part of the subcontinent, which was called Tamilakam, three important ruling families grew: - The Cholas, who ruled in the region of present-day Tamil Nadu. - The Cheras, who ruled in present-day Kerala and the Malabar coast. - The Pandyas, who ruled in the southernmost regions of Tamil Nadu.
These kingdoms grew rich through trade, especially with the Roman world. They had ports from which goods like pepper, pearls and spices were exported. The chieftains of these kingdoms were called vel and velir. The rulers did not use coins very much, but exchanged gifts like ivory, gold and pearls to show friendship.
Trade grew rapidly during this period, and both land and sea routes were used. The silk route was a famous land route along which silk was carried from China to distant lands.
Traders carried many goods: spices, pepper, musk, silk, muslin, dyes, gold, ivory and precious stones. The use of coins increased, and traders used gold, silver and copper coins. The discovery of Roman gold coins in southern India shows the importance of trade with Rome. The growth of trade made many towns rich and prosperous.
Puhar was a famous port town on the Tamil coast, at the mouth of the river Kaveri. It was the capital of the Chola kings.
Ships from many countries came to Puhar, bringing goods and taking away Indian goods. Puhar had markets, warehouses and streets of merchants. It is described in the sangam poems as a busy and prosperous city. Puhar shows how trade made towns thrive and connected the subcontinent with the wider world.
A Bodhisattva is a person who is on the way to becoming a Buddha. The Bodhisattvas were believed to have gone through many births, helping people in each of them.
Stories about the previous lives of the Bodhisattvas are told in the Jataka tales, which are part of Buddhist literature. Many jatakas tell stories of animals like deer, elephants and monkeys, who are in fact Bodhisattvas in earlier births. The Bodhisattva ideal taught people to be compassionate and to help others. Both Buddhism and Jainism grew rapidly during this period, and many sculptures of the Bodhisattva were made.
Buddhism spread to many parts of India and to distant lands: - It reached Sri Lanka through the efforts of Mahinda, the son of Ashoka. - It spread to China, Korea and Japan. - It reached Myanmar, Thailand and other countries of Southeast Asia. - The Silk route helped in the spread of Buddhism, as merchants and travellers carried the teachings of the Buddha with them.
Many stupas and chaityas (prayer halls) were built to honour the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. The stupas of Sanchi and Amaravati are famous examples.
Xuan Zang was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who came to India about 1400 years ago to obtain the original texts of Buddhist scriptures. He travelled through India for many years, visiting places associated with the Buddha.
He carried back with him many manuscripts of Buddhist texts, which he later translated into Chinese. His journey shows how Buddhism connected India and China, and how pilgrims travelled long distances to visit sacred places. His travel records also provide historians with valuable information about India of that time.
Although this chapter focuses on Buddhism and Jainism, it also tells us that new religious ideas continued to develop in the subcontinent. The worship of deities like Shiva and Vishnu became popular, and the Bhagavad Gita teaches that God can be worshipped in many ways.
Many centuries later, Islam reached the subcontinent through traders and travellers from Arabia and other places. The growth of trade routes helped in the spread of religions and the exchange of ideas between different lands.
Another famous Chinese pilgrim was Fa Xian, who came to India about 1600 years ago, during the rule of the Guptas. He visited India to study Buddhism and collect manuscripts.
Fa Xian travelled along the Silk route to reach India. His writings tell us about the condition of the people, the state of Buddhism and the prosperity of India during the Gupta period. The accounts of pilgrims like Fa Xian and Xuan Zang are valuable sources of history, because they describe the places, people and customs they saw.
| Kingdom | Region | Famous Ruler/Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Kushanas | Central Asia to NW India | Kanishka; ruled from Peshawar and Mathura |
| Satavahanas | Western and southern India | Ruled parts of Deccan |
| Cholas | Tamil Nadu | Ruled Tamilakam; port of Puhar |
| Cheras | Kerala | Malabar coast trade |
| Pandyas | Southern Tamil Nadu | Trade with Roman world |
| Region | How Buddhism Spread |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Through Mahinda, son of Ashoka |
| China, Korea, Japan | Through traders and travellers along the Silk route |
| Myanmar, Thailand | Through merchants and monks |
| India | Through stupas, chaityas, and the Bodhisattva ideal |
After the Mauryas, new kingdoms arose in different parts of the subcontinent, from the Kushanas in the northwest to the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas in the south. Trade flourished along land and sea routes, making towns like Puhar rich and connecting India with distant lands like Rome and China.
Pilgrims like Fa Xian and Xuan Zang travelled long distances to visit sacred places, and Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka, China and Southeast Asia through traders, monks and the Silk route. The stories of the Bodhisattvas and the Jataka tales taught compassion and helped in spreading the teachings of the Buddha. This period shows how trade, kings and pilgrims together connected India with the wider world and enriched its culture and religion.