UPSC Prelims 2021 Q34: Post-Gupta Kingdoms Before Harsha — Explained
From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?
1. The Guptas of Magadha
2. The Paramaras of Malwa
3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar
4. The Maukharis of Kanauj
5. The Yadavas of Devagiri
6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1, 2 and 5
- 1, 3, 4 and 6
- 2, 3 and 4
- 5 and 6
Answer: (b) 1, 3, 4 and 6
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: correct — After the imperial Gupta line ended in the mid-6th century, a separate line called the Later Guptas (Guptas of Magadha) held land between Malwa and Magadha. Britannica records that this line took Magadha back from the Maukharis about 606 CE. That falls right in the period the question asks about.
- 2: incorrect — The Paramaras of Malwa began as feudatories of the Rashtrakutas. They only rose to prominence later. Siyaka sacked the Rashtrakuta capital Manyakheta in 972, and Raja Bhoja (c. 1010–55) ruled from Dhar. They therefore belong to the 10th–11th centuries, centuries after Harsha.
- 3: correct — The Pushyabhutis (Vardhanas) ruled from Thanesar, north of Delhi, and were rising in the late 6th and early 7th centuries. Harshavardhana, the ruler the question names, was from this dynasty. He came to the throne in 606 CE and ruled for 41 years.
- 4: correct — The Maukharis started as Gupta feudatories and became independent at Kannauj in the 6th century. They ruled most of present-day Uttar Pradesh. After Harsha took over their kingdom around 606 CE, the family faded from view.
- 5: incorrect — The Yadavas (Seunas) of Devagiri were a Deccan power, not a North Indian one. They also came much later. Bhillama (c. 1187–91) made them paramount and founded Devagiri, which later became Daulatabad, and the Khalji empire annexed the kingdom in 1317. They fail on both place and time.
- 6: correct — The Maitrakas ruled Gujarat and Saurashtra from Valabhi. Their founder, Senapati Bhatarka, set up the dynasty around 470 CE as Gupta power weakened. They fought Harsha in the early 7th century and lasted until about 780 CE, when Arab raiders from Sindh destroyed Valabhi.
How to eliminate
You need to be sure of only two facts: the Yadavas of Devagiri were a Deccan dynasty of the 12th–14th centuries, and the Paramaras of Malwa are known for Raja Bhoja in the 11th century. Both are far too late, and Devagiri is not even in North India. That rules out every option containing 2 or 5, which leaves only the option with statements 1, 3, 4 and 6. Statement 3 also points to the answer: Harsha himself was a Pushyabhuti, so his own dynasty had to hold power before he rose. Fact to remember: the post-Gupta, pre-Harsha powers are the Later Guptas, Maukharis, Pushyabhutis, Maitrakas and Gauda under Shashanka. The Paramaras and Yadavas are early medieval 'Rajput-era' and Deccan dynasties.
Know more
North India between the Guptas and Harsha (c. 550–606 CE)
Huna attacks from the late 5th century and the rise of feudatories broke up the Gupta empire. Former governors and vassals turned their territories into independent kingdoms, and the Ganga plain was shared among them.
| Dynasty | Seat | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Later Guptas | Magadha / Malwa | Not the imperial line; rivals of the Maukharis |
| Maukharis | Kannauj | Ex-Gupta feudatories; ruled most of present-day UP |
| Pushyabhutis (Vardhanas) | Thanesar | Harsha's dynasty; Harsha acceded 606 CE |
| Maitrakas | Valabhi (Saurashtra) | Founded c. 470 by Bhatarka; Valabhi was a centre of learning; ended c. 780 |
| Gauda (Shashanka) | Bengal | Fought the Maukharis and Pushyabhutis in the early 7th century |
How Harsha rose. The Maukharis and Pushyabhutis were allied by marriage. Shashanka of Gauda and the Malwa ruler attacked Kannauj. Harsha then took over the Maukhari kingdom, made Kannauj his centre, and went on to dominate North India until 647. Xuanzang's account and Banabhatta's Harshacharita are the main sources for this period.
Do not mix this period up with later ones:
- 8th–10th century: the tripartite struggle for Kannauj between the Palas, Gurjara-Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas.
- 10th–12th century: Rajput-era kingdoms such as the Paramaras of Malwa (Bhoja), the Chahamanas and the Chandelas.
- 12th–14th century: Deccan powers such as the Yadavas of Devagiri and the Kakatiyas, which ended with the Khalji conquests.
UPSC often slips a dynasty from a later period into a list of contemporaries. Put a century next to each dynasty you learn.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Harshavardhana: The question's time window ends with Harsha's rise, so knowing his dynasty and date lets you test each listed kingdom.
- Hunas: Huna invasions helped break up Gupta power, which let the regional kingdoms in this list emerge.
- Xuanzang: Xuanzang's account of Harsha's reign is a main source for the kingdoms that held power in early 7th-century North India.