Mauryan Empire - Age of Unity of BharatVarsha
History Posts about Mauryan Emperors Asoka & Chandragupta Maurya
Number of Posts (as on November 10, 2016) : 10
Links of the post are present below, after a brief introduction about the Mauryans.
Hi Everyone
Though i created this blog for Mughal and Rajput History only, but after receiving suggestions/demand, from the blog readers, i am creating a separate section, for the Mauryans.
The Mauryan Empire was a geographically extensive historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Maurya dynasty from 322–185 BCE. Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (modern Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh) in the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (modern Patna). The empire was the largest to have ever existed in the Indian subcontinent, spanning over 5 million square kilometres at its zenith under Ashoka.
The Empire was founded in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India, alongside Chanakya's help, taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's armies. By 316 BCE the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps left by Alexander. Chandragupta then defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, a Macedonian general from Alexander's army, gaining additional territory west of the Indus River.
The Mauryan Empire was one of the largest empires of the world in its time. At its greatest extent, the empire stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the Himalayas, to the east into Assam, to the west into Balochistan (south west Pakistan and south east Iran) and the Hindu Kush mountains of what is now Afghanistan. The Empire was expanded into India's central and southern regions by the emperors Chandragupta and Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal and forested regions near Kalinga (modern Odisha), until it was conquered by Ashoka. It declined for about 50 years after Ashoka's rule ended, and it dissolved in 185 BCE with the foundation of the Shunga dynasty in Magadha.
Posts in this Section
10. Status of Women in Magadhan Mauryan Society | With Sculptures & Jewels - Click HERE to Read - Posted on November 10, 2016
9. History of Mahapadma Nanda & Dhana Nanda | From Pre - Mauryan Magadha Empire to arrival of Alexander | With ancient sculptures - Click HERE to Read - Posted on October 19, 2016
8. Chandragupta Maurya - The Empire builder & Protector of Bharat | An Introduction - Click HERE to Read - Posted on October 11, 2016
7. Emperor Ashoka Maurya Killed 99 Brothers to Become King - Fact or Myth ? And some other questions | A Debate - Click HERE to Read - Posted on September 12, 2015
6. What is the BASIS of GREATness ? | From Akbar to Ashoka to Alexander...and Maharana Pratap - Click HERE to Read - Posted on April 23, 2015
5. The HISTORY of Samrat Bindusara, Dharma and Ashoka - Click HERE to Read - Posted on March 12, 2015
4. A Question on Ethics | Chanakya-Dharma-Ashoka - Click HERE to Read - Posted on February 17, 2015
3. Chanakya's Method to Test the Character of Ministers - Click HERE to Read - Posted on February 11, 2015
2. Ashoka - The Stage is Set | Episode 1 and 2 | February 2 and 3 2015 - Click HERE to Read - Posted on February 4, 2015
1. An Introduction to the Family of Samrat Ashoka Maurya - Click HERE to Read - Posted on February 3, 2015
Abhay
ReplyDeleteCongrats on starting this new section! Looking fwd to some great, enriching discussions here :)
All the best :)
Thanks a lot Radhika. :)
DeleteEven i am looking forward to great discussions, as this Emperor has its origins in ancient Indian history, which would be new to many of us. Till now, we used to debate medieval history only. Now it extends to ancient as well.
Abhay
DeleteThe interface here is the old one. :)
Pls see the synopsis of the 1st episode below. :)
February 2, 2015 Episode
ReplyDeleteThe first episode set the stage for the show, introducing the main characters who will be center stage the next few months.
The leitmotif of the show seems to be the lion that reportedly represents the spirit of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty. It's as if Chandragupta Maurya himself is constantly keeping a vigil on the goings on in his empire and family.
The present king is Bindusara, son of Chandragupta Maurya. Helen, the daughter of the Greek - Selucus Nicator, is the queen mother. It seems that her son Justin was not given the chance to become the king and instead, Bindusara became the king. The mother-son duo along with Selucus Nicator himself seems keen on capturing the throne for Justin somehow.
Another important character Khorasan enters the scene with his daughter Noor. The introductory scene of Noor is interesting. It is set against the backdrop of the battle of Buzkashi, a sport played on horseback in which the participants try to keep control of the carcass of a headless goat. Bindusara, Noor and Justin seemed to be playing this sport which the king won easily, with Justin being more interested in Noor than winning the game.
Note: Buzkashi literally means "goat grabbing" or "goat killing". The carcass is placed in the center of a circle, surrounded by the members of the 2 teams who are on horseback. The objective is to bring the carcass across the winning / goal line or into the winner's circle.
After the tournament, Khorasan proposes to marry his daughter to Bindusara and also offers his army and support to Bindusara. The latter's wife, mother to a baby Sushrima, is distraught but the powerful and persuasive Helen pushes thru the alliance.
This upsets Justin considerably.
Before the marriage can take place, Bindusara goes hunting. Helen asks the minister Amartya Ugrasena, to make arrangements for the king's trip. Chanakya tries to dissuade the king from going as he fears an attempt on the king's life by palace insiders. But the king laughs off his fears and goes anyway.
He is successful in hunting down a wild boar easily but soon falls prey to an ambush. He tries to escape as his men try to fend off the attackers. But he slips over into a waterfall and faints.
He is discovered by Dharma and her friends who try to revive him thru herbal medicine.
Meanwhile it is presumed in the palace that Bindusara is dead and Helen and Amartya together hatch a plan to anoint the baby Sushrima as the would-be king while the real ruler would be Justin - ostensibly because Sushrima is still a baby.
The concept of a sabha is interesting. Earlier kings generally relied on the advice of a sabha or council of ministers.
Chanakya smells a Greek hand in Bindusara's disappearance and refuses to believe that the king is dead till he sees the actual body. He urges Khorasan to find the king by convincing him that the Greeks have killed his son and attempted to kill his would-be son-in-law.
Meanwhile, it seems the rebels are waiting for just this chance and start a period of anarchy and chaos. The Greeks encourage this, perhaps because it would make the people accept Justin as the new king more easily - because they would need a new king urgently to control the anarchy.
Going ahead, Bindusara would apparently marry Dharma, the daughter of a brahmin and have a son, Ashoka by her. When the time comes for anointing a successor, Dharma would first resist attempts to make Ashoka the king but would later give in.
In short, a lot happened in the first episode itself and almost all the important characters have been introduced and the ground is fast getting set for some great action. Hopefully we will see more action in this show than we did in JA. :) The actors are good, esp Siddharth Nigam, who plays the pivotal role of Ashoka. Keeping fingers crossed for an authentic - as much as possible - and engrossing show! Enjoy, everyone :)