Friday 24 February 2012

OFFICERS IN THE HARSHA PERIOD

SARVAGATAH    -   probably a member of the secret service department.

CHATAS  AND BHATAS   -  ordinary  soldiers.


BRIHADASVAVRA   -  covalry officer.


BALADHIKRITAS AND MAHABALADHIKRITAS   -   infantry  officers


GRAMAKSHAPATALIKA   -   village head man , assisted by karanikas.

Thursday 23 February 2012

OFFICERS IN GUPTA PERIOD

KUMARAMATYA    -    the minister in attendance on the royal governor.

BALADHIKARNIKA    -    head of the army or the military

DANDAPASADHIKARNIKA    -    chief of the police.

RANABHANDAGARIKA    -    chancellor of military exchequer

VINAYASTHITHI STAHPAKA    -    minister of law and order.

BHATASVAPATI    -    commandant of the infantry and cavalry.

MAHAPILLUPATI    -    commandant of the elephant forces.

SADHANIKA    -    dealt with debts and fines.

HIRANYA SAMUDYIKA    -    currency officer

TADAYUKTAKA    -    treasury officer

AUDRANGIKA     -     collector of udranga tax.

AUNA  STHANIKA     -    superintendent  of  silk  factories.

AGRAHARIKA     -     superintendent  of  agraharas.

CHAURODDHARANIKA     -    inspector  general of police.


VISHAYAPATI   was assisted  by mahattaras  ( village elders ) , gramika ( village headman ) , saulkikas ( collectors  of customs and tolls ) , gaulmikas  (  officers incharge of forests and forts ) , agraharikas , ashtakuladhikaranikas, dhruvadhikaranikas (  officers incharge of land revenue ) , bhandagaradhikrita  (  treasurer )  , ralavataka ( accountant etc )


MAHAKSHAPATALIKA    -    controlled akshapatala ( record office of the district )


KARANIKA     -    officer incharge of the documents.


SASAYITRI/KARTRI    -   the officer who drafted the documents.


KULAPUTRAS    -   checked  corruption , worked under sarvadhyakshas.


PURAPALA  UPARIKA    -  controlled the heads of the various  cities.

AVASTHIKA    -  superintendent  of dharmasalas.

Wednesday 22 February 2012

OFFICERS IN SATAVAHAN PERIOD

AMACHAS  -  incharge of aharas

AMATYA   -  civil governor 

MAHASENAPATI   -  militory governor   were the highest officials of a province .

MAHATARAKA   -   great chamberlian 

HERANIKAS    -   treasurers 

NIBA MADHAKARAS    -   officers  in charge of registration of documents.


GAULMIKAS    -   He was the head of  a military regiment consisting of nine chariots , nine elephants , five horses , and foot soldiers.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

OFFICERS IN THE ANCIENT PERIOD - MAURYAN PERIOD

THE CHIEF OFFICIALS ACCORDING TO ARTHA SHASTRA WERE -

MANTRIN  -  chief minister

PUROHITA  -  Chief priest .

SENAPATI  -  Commander in chief.

YUVARAJ  -  Crown - prince

THE OTHER 14 CHIEF OFFICIALS OR THIRTHAS, MENTIONED IN THE ARTHA SHASTHRA WERE -

DAUVARIKA  -  Chamberiain.

ANTARVESIKA  -  Chief of the harem

PRASASTRI  -  inspector general of prisons

SAMAHARTA  -  Collector - general.

SANNIDHATA  -  Treasury chief.

PRADESHTRI  -  Divisional commissioner.

NAYAKA  -  City constable.

PAURA  -  Governor of the capital.

VYAVAHARIKA  -  Chief judge.

KARMANTIKA  -  Chief of the mines.

MANTRI-PARISHATADHYAKSHA  -  President of the council.


DVARAPALA  -  Chief of the home defence.


ANTAPALA  -  Chief of the frontier defence.

in the rock edict III of  Asoka we find new names of officials  not found in the arthashastra , e.g. pradesikas, rajukas , and yuktas.

PRADESIKA  -  He was charged with the duties of revenue collection and police.

RAJUKA  -  Performed a double function of the modern revenue and judicial officer.

YUKTAS  -  District  treasury officers who managed the king's property , received and kept accounts of revenue.


NAGALA VIYOHALAKA  -  An officer mentioned in the kalinga edict I . his duty was similar to that of PAURA VYAVAHARIKA of arthasastra , i.e. to administer justice in district towns.


ANTA-MAHAMATTAS  -  Mentioned by asoka in his pillar edict I

The class of officers bringing news of the people to the king are referred to by asoka as the  PATIVEDIKAS , whereas the views of the ministerial council are brought specifically by the MAHAMATTAS ( 6 th rock edict )

OFFICERS IN THE ANCIENT PERIOD - RIGVEDIC PERIOD

RIGVEDIC PERIOD  -

rigveda does not mention any officer for administering justice.

VRAJAPATHI  -  enjoyed authority over the pasture ground.

MADHYAMA  -  SI   -  stands for lying in the midst , he arbitrated the disputes in rig vedic period.

GRAMYAVADIN  -  in later taittiriya samhita , he was a village judge.

ADHIPATI   -   he was  incharge of 1000 villages during the epic age.


SAVANTA    -   A feudatory of raja during the age of  DHARMA SHASTHRAS.

after vedic period ratnins were succeded by mantrins , sachivas and amatyas.


SAMBBATTHAKA   -   Rajbhatas or high officers , charged  with general affairs (  6th-4th century  B.C. )


VOHARIKAS  MAHAMATTAS   -   judges  ( 6th to 4 th century B.C. )


MAHAMATTAS   -  officers forthe lary of tithes on produce  (  6th to 4 th century B.C. )

SOME OF THE IMPORTANT HARAPPAN SITES

HARAPPA   -   it is situated in the montgomery district of the punjab in pakistan on the bank of river RAVI . it had a citadel and as many as six granaries with in it.


MOHENJO DARO   -   it is situated in the larkana district of sind in pakistan on the bank of the INDUS . it was first discovered  in 1922 . apart from citadel , the most important public place here seems to be the great bath . it is suggested that the great bath served ritual bathing . the largest building at mohenjodaro is a granary. we find here evidence of horse from superficial level.


KALIBANGAN   -  it is situated in ganganagar district in rajasthan on the GHAGGAR. here we find traces of furrows in the pre harappan  phase which show that the fields were ploughed in rajasthan in harappan period.


ROPAR   -   it is situated in the district of the same name in punjab on the bank of river  SUTLEJ . here we find traces of both harappan and post harappan cultures.


LOTHAL   -   it is situated on the  BHOGAVA ( LIMRIKOBHOGAWO ) in ahmedabad district of gujarat. the most striking feature is the discovery of an ancient dockyard here , connected through the bhogava river with the gulf of cambay.the devolution of harappan culture at lothal lends support to the view that the civilization as a whole didnot meet with a sudden and violent end . we find a doubtful terracotta figurine of horse.


RANGAPUR   -   it is situated on the  BHADAR  in jhalwar district of gujarat. traces of pre-harappa culture have been noticed . here we find no seal or the image of the mother goddess.


SURKOTADA   -   it is situated in kutch district of gujarat. the remains of the horse have been reported from here and belong to around 2000 b.c.


ALAMGIRPUR   -   It is situated on the  HINDON   in meerut district  of uttar pradesh . it is the eastern most known limit of the harappan culture .the site represents the last phase of this culture.


BANWALI   -   it is situated in hissar district of haryana . here we find traces of both harappan and pre harappan  cultures . a good quantity of barley has been discovered here.


CHANHUDARO  -  It is situated 80 miles south of mohenjodaro in sind province of pakistan . here we find traces of both harappan and pre harappan cultures . it was a great centre of seal making , bead making and bone working.


KOT DIJI   -   It is also situated in sind in pakistan . here we find pre harappan cuture predominantly using stone tools.


ALI MURAD  -  it is also situated in sind . a massive stone fort has been found here.


SUTKAGENDOR  -  it is the western most known limit of this culture and is situated in southern baluchisthan.


DHOLAVIRA  -  a new site ' dholavira ' has been excavated near the rann of kutch in gujarat.

MDERN INDIA - IMPORTANT TREATIES

SANGOLA AGREEMENT ( 1752 )  -  henceforth the maratha king became the mayor of the place and the peshwa emerged as the real head of maratha federacy.


TREATY OF ALINAGAR ( FEB-1757 )  -  the nawab of bengal  made peace with clive restoring to the english  their previous privileges ( calcutta was renamed alinagar after siraj-ud-daula captured it.)


TREATY OF PARIS ( 1763 )  -  the french were defeated by the british company and its settlements were captured. the french possessions in india were ,however restored by this treaty.


TREATY OF ALLAHABAD ( 1765 )  -  it was concluded between clive and siraj ud daula ,the nawab vazir of oudh.


TREATY OF BENARAS ( 1773 )  -  between hastings and nawab of oudh. allahabad was handed over to nawab.

TREATY OF 1775  -  on the death of shuja ud daula in 1775 , a new treaty was concluded with his successor , according to which a regular brigade  of the company's troops was stationed in oudh.


TREATY OF SURAT ( 1775 )  -  signed by raghunath rao with the bombay governament in the hope of help of english subsidiary troops in his flight for peshwaship.


TREATY OF PURANDHAR  ( 1776 )  -  the english gave up the cause of raghunath rao who was to receive pension from poona. the treaty was ineffective.


CONVENTION OF WADGAON ( 1779 )  -  the british were to surrender all territories taken by the bombay governament since 1773 to poona.


TREATY OF SALBAI ( 1782 )  -  the english acquired salsette from mahadaji sindia but renounced the cause of raghoba.


TREATY OF MANGALORE ( 1784 )  -  lord macartney ,governor of madras ,concluded with tipu the treaty of mangalore on the basis of mutual restriction of conquests and liberation of prisoners.


TREATY OF BASSEIN ( 1802 )  -  signed by baji rao II  with the english after his defeat at the hands of holkar.


TREATY OF DEOGAON ( 1805 )  -  Holkar gave up claims on the areas of company's allies.


TREATY OF AMRITSAR  ( 1809 )  -  between ranjith singh and the english company , which fixed the river sutlej as the boundary of ranjith singh's authority.


TREATY OF SAGAULI ( 1816 )   -  After the english victory over nepal , the treaty was signed . the nepal ruler gave up his claims to sikkim , ceded the disputed tarai tracts , and received a resident at khatmandu .


TREATY OF YANDABOO  (  1826 )  -  great britain agreed to help iran with men and money against any european invader .


TREATY OF LONDON ( 1840-41 )  -  it sought the gradual replacement of russian influence in turkey by british.


TREATY OF LAHORE ( MARCH 1846 )  -  dalip singh the infant son of ranjith singh , was recognised as raja by the company.


TREATY OF BHIROWAL (  1846 )  -  by this treaty  , rani jindan was deprived of all powers and the administration was to be carried on by a ' council of regency ' composed of eight leading chiefs under the virtual dictatorship of the british resident .

Wednesday 8 February 2012

IMPORTANT BOOKS OF MEDIEVAL INDIA

CHACHNAMA  -  originally written in arabic by an anonymous writer. it was translated in persian by muhammad ali bin abu bakr kufi.


TARIKH - UL - HIND  -  alberuni.


TAJ - UL - MAASIR  -  hasan nizami.


TABAQAT - I - NASIRI - minhah - us - siraj.


TARIKH - I - FIROZ SHAHI. -  ziavuddin barauni


FUTUHAT - I - FIROZ SHAHI  - firoz tughlaq


ZAFARNAMA - maulana yazdi.


TARIKH - I - MUBARAK SHAHI - yahya bin ahmad sirhindi.


FUTUHUS - SALATIN - khwaja abdullah malik isani.


TUZUK - I - BABRI OR BABARNAMA - babar.


HUMAYUN NAMA - gulbadan begum


KHULASAT UL AKBAR - khondamir.


HABIBUS SIYAR - khondamir.


DASTUR - UL - WUZARA. - khondamir.


TARIKH - I - HUMAYUNI - jauhar aftabchi.


TARIKH - I - SHER SHAHI. - abbas khan sherwani


TARIKH - I - SALATIN - I  - afghana or TARIKH - I - SHAHI - ahmad yadgar.


TARIKH - I - DAUDI  - abdullah.


TARIKH - I - KHANJAHANI  -  naimatullah harawi.


TABAQAT - I - AKBARI  -  nizamuddin ahmad .


AKBAR NAMA  -  abul fazal .


AIN - I - AKBARI ( 3 RD VOLUME OF AKBAR NAMA )  - abul fazal.


TRANSLATION OF RAMAYANA IN PERSIAN  -  badauni .


MUNTAKHAB - UL - TAWARIKH  -  abdul latif , also by badauni.


TARIKH - I - AKBAR SHAHI . -  mohd qandhari.


TARIKH - I - FARISHTA  -  firishta.


TARIKH - I -  HAQIQI  -  abdul haq delhavi.


TARIKH - I - ALFI  -  maulana ahmad .


DABISTAN - I - MAZAHIB  -  mohsin fani.


TUZUK - I - JAHANGIRI  -  jahangir.


IQBAL NAMA  -  mohd qazwini .


PADSHAHNAMA  -  abdul hamid lahori , also by mohd waris.


AMAL - I - SALIH  -  mohd salih.


ALAMGIRNAMA  -  mirza mohd qazim.


ALAMGIRNAMA  -  mohd saqi and mustaid khan ( whole reign's account ).


MUNTAKHAB UL LUBAB  -  khafi khan .


NUSKHNA I - DILKHUSH  -  bhimsen .


FUTUHAT I - DILKHUSH  -  isar das.


IBRATNAMA  - mohd qazim.


TARIKH - I - CHAGTAI  -  mohd tehrani.


QIRANUS SAADAIN  -  amir khusro.


KHAZAINUL FUTUH  -  amir khusro.


MIFTAHAUL FUTUH  -  amir khusro.


DEWAL RANI KHIZR RANI  -  amir khusro.


NUH SIPIHR  -  amir khusro.


TUGHLAQNAMA  - amir khusro.


TARIKH  -  I  - ILLAHI   -  amir khusro.


FATUHAT  - I - ALAMGIRI  - isar dar.


MAASIR - I - ALAMGIRI   - mustaid khan and mohd saqi.


KHUSALAT UT - TAWARIQ  -  surjan rai.


TARIKH - I YAMNI  -  utbi.


KITAB - I - REHALA  -  ibn batuta .


SAKINAT UL - AULIYA  - dara  shikoh.


HASANATUL ARIFIN  -  dara shikoh .


MAJMAUL BAHRAIN   -  dara shikoh.


SIR - I - AKBAR   -  dara shikoh ( translation of upanishad )


SAHIBYA   -  jahan  ara  .


SRIKRISHNA VIJAYA  -  maladhar  basu.


BENGALI VERSION OF RAMAYAN  -  kirtivasa .


TRANSLATION OF MAHA BHARAT   - parameswara or kavindra.


KARMA MIMANSA  -  parthasarathi mishra.


HAMMIR MADA MARDANA  -  jay singh suri.


PARVATI PARINAYA  -  vaman bhatt bana .


GANGADASA PRATAP VILAS  -  gangadhar .


VIDAGDHA MADHAV  -  rupa goswamy.


KALA NIRNAYA  -  madhav .


TRANSLATION OF ADHARVANA VEDA ( PERSIAN )  - haji ibrahim sirhindi .


TRANSLATION OF LAILAWATI  -  faizi .


TRANSLATION OF BABARNAMA  ( IN TO PERSIAN )  -  abdur rahim mirza and painda khan.


TRANSLATION OF HISTORY OF KASHMIR  - mohd shahbadi.

CHANDIMANGAL  -  madhavacharya .


CHAURASI VAISHNAV KIR VARTA  -  vittal nath .


PREMVARTIKA  - raskhan .


CHAITANYA MANGAL  -  jayanand ( another by trilochan das ) .


CHAITANYA BHAGAWAT  -  brindavan das.


BHAKH  RATNAKAR  -  narahari .


TRANSLATION OF BABARNAMA ( ENGLISH )  -  beveridge ,leyden , erskine, king.


TARIKH - I - RASHIDI  - mirza haider  dughlat


SHAHJAHAN NAMA  -  mohd sadiq khan.

Thursday 2 February 2012

VIJAYA NAGARA DYNASTY ( VAMSHA VRUKSHAM )

SANGAMA DYNASTY ( 1336 - 1486 ) -

HARIHARA  I  -  BUKKARAYA  -  DEVARAYA II  -  MALLIKARJUNA RAYA.


SALUVA DYNASTY ( 1486 - 1505 ) -

SALUVA NARASIMHA  -  NARASA NAYAKA  -  IMMADI NARASINGA RAYALU -  ALIYA RAMA RAYALU.


THULUVA DYNASTY  ( 1505 - 1575 )  -

VEERA NARASIMHA -  SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU - SADA SHIVA RAYALU  - ALIYA RAMA RAYALU.


ARAVEETI DYNASTY  (  1575 - 1614 ) - 

SOMA DEVA RAJU  -  THIMMA RAJU  -  THIRUMALA RAYALU  -  SRI RANGA RAYALU  -

VENKATA PATHI RAYALU II - SRI RANGA RAYALU II  -  RAMADEVA RAYALU  -

VENKATAPATHI RAYALU III -  SRI RANGA RAYALU  III .

COINS DURING THE ANCIENT PERIOD

The earliest coins of india have only figures,devices or symbols,and no legends.


1 GOLD COIN = 80 krishnalas.


silver currency consisted of krishnala ,masha, dharna, shatamana.


Copper coin was called karshapna was pana.


Smallest coin was 1/8 pana.( age of dharma shastras .)

6TH TO 4TH CENTURY B.C.


1 karshapna ( or kahapana ) weighed 140 grains.


No silver coins were used.No fixing of market price by the governament.


Daric - standard gold coin of persia.


Sigloi or shekels  -  persian silver coin.


The kushan kings issued dinar type of gold coins. They didnot issue any silver coin.


Kadphises - I  issued  copper coins bearing the figure of heracles.


Kadphises II ( vema kadphises ) issued gold coins bearing the figure of Lord Shiva.


THE COINS OF SAMUDRA GUPTA.  -   of 8 different types ,all gold. Excepting the tiger and lyrist type ( free from all traces of foreign infuence ) . all other coins bear legends.The standard type coins are mmost numerous. The peaked or conical head-dress of the kushans is replaced by a close fitting cap or an indian turban ( in some coins ,king is bare headed ). In place of Ardochso ,indian goddesses are substituted.He did not issue any silver coins.


CHANDRAGUPTA II  -   issued silver and copper coins.

He issued Lion and horseman type of coins . issued silver coins after his conquest of Western kshatraps.


SKANDA GUPTA ( 455 - 67 ) - issued three types of gold coins ,viz .,archer type ,lakshmi type and horseman type. silver coins were in circulation in the western and central india.


PURU GUPTHA ( A.D. 467-73 ) - Issued only archer type of gold coins.


SILVER COINS OF KUMAR GUPTA I ( 415 -455 ) - were issued for the home province ,garuda on the reverse was replaced by peacock.


Sir Richard Burn found silver coins out of which 9 were those of Sri pratapasila, 284 of Sri siladitya and one of harsha.


The largest number of coins we get are from the post -mauryan times .How ever ,the guptas issued  the largest number of gold coins.


The punch market coins ,made of silver are the earliest coins ( dating from the 5th century B.C) of india. These are found in Bihar and eastern U.P.


Kumargupta I ( 415-455 ) - Issued karthikeya type of coins with a peacock as the ' vahan '.


The greeks were the first rulers in india to issue coins which can be definitely attributed to the kings.They were also the first to issue gold coins in india.


Nalas  - ( living in the forest area of Mahakantara - Odisha ) issued gold coins.


Manas ( living in the coastal area in the north beyond the Mahanadi ) issued copper coins.

Wednesday 1 February 2012

MEDIEVAL COINAGE

TANKA  - A little more than a rupee.

JITAL     -  A copper coin ,equal to 1/2 of a silver tanka of 175 grains and corresponding in value to 1 farthing ( quarter of a penny ).

ADALI   -  Revived by plohmmed tughuq. It was equivalent in weight to 140 grains of silver.

SHUSHGHANI   -  A six - jital piece.

COINAGE  in the vijayanagar kingdom was both in gold and copper .There was one specimen of a silver coin.Coins bore emblems of gods and animals.

PULSIYAH  -  The copper money ( in the martha kingdom. ).

i.) In akbar's time ,the silver rupee of about 175 grains was equal to 2s,3d sterling.

ii.) Jalali  -  a square rupee issued by akbar .

iii.) Dam  -  also called paisa or fulus ,weighed 323.5 grains .It was the chief copper coin in sher shah's currency .In akbar's time it was divided in to twenty-five parts,known as jitals.

iv) One rupee was equal to forty dams up to A.D.1616,and thirty dams ,or a little more or less.