Gupta period a Golden period or not?

No, Gupta period was not a golden period as Imperialist historians when tried to degrade Indian history by comparing to their own history then some of the Nationalist historians i.e. Dadabhai Naroji, Jawahar lal Nehru termed Gupta period as Golden period on basis of SAMUDRAGUPTA as ALEXANDER of India and KALIDASA as SHAKESPEARE of India in order to defend their history. To term any period as Golden period following four points must be kept in mind:

• SOCIETY
• ECONOMY
• POLITICS
• RELIGION
• CULTURE

                         Among these four aspect Society is the most important one to decide about prosperity and lets examine Gupta period on the basis of following aspects -

• SOCIETY :- During Gupta period in society there was proliferation of caste many central Asian people who migrated they adjusted in four varnas i.e. Brahmana, Kshtriya, vaishya and Shudra as per their work, instead of these four there was a new group in society and it was of CHANDALS. a form of Shudras who were untouchable and from here untouchables came into practise. KALIDASA quoted one hymn of Manusmiriti[ law book]

                          "Dhol, gawar, pashu, shudra aur Nari
                             Ye sab hai tadan ke adhikari"
          It clearly indicate pathetic condition of women during Gupta period, immolation of widow was           noticed during this period the upper Verna's women were not allowed to levitate and widow                 remarriage.

• ECONOMY :- The Gupta's issued largest number of gold coins which were called DINARS, but they were not as pure as Kushans. Roman people around 550 Ce learnt art of growing silk from Chinese people which adversely affected India's export trade. Guild of silk weavers left their occupation and adopted other profession. Due to feudalism long distance trade came to less practise and slowly economy started degrading and when control over Gujrat was snatched from Gupta empire the economy started declining.

• POLITICS :- After Mauryas only Gupta's could unify India and established their control throughout Indian territory and this control remained perfect till CHANDRAGUPTA 2 after that due to its decentralised nature the administration was done through feudal lords who Finley revolted against Gupta's and declared them self independent. 

• RELIGION :- Large scale land grants to the Brahman's suggest their supremacy increased, Buddhism according to FA-HUSEIN was flourishing but it was not as important as it was during Mauryas.

• CULTURE :- In this aspect no other period can be compared to them in case of cultural development as it was period when all literature was composed i.e. Mahabarat, Ramayana Puranas etc. were written during this period earlier it existed in oral form and most famous smiritis[ law books] were composed during this period. Kalidasa, Vishakhdatt and many great scholars became part of Indian history during Gupta period and they enriched Indian culture with their writings so much that Gupta period became period of ''CULTURAL EVALUATION''.

CONCLUSION

         Except cultural aspect every other aspect clearly indicate inefficiency of Gupta rulers the most remarkable thing was pathetic condition of women who were just regarded as property of men and introduction of malpractices in society such as untouchables and immolation of widows. The trade which is basic requirement for development was declining thus we can not term Gupta period as golden period where people were treated so badly.  

GUPTA ADMINISTRATION

Gupta dynasty was able to politically unite whole northern India after Mauryan dynasty and at the time of SAMUDRAGUPTA near about whole of Indian territory fell under Gupta empire, unlike Mauryas Guptas were decentralised. The Guptas had defeated variety of people and rulers but rather than exersizing direct control, they developed political hierarchies. This arrangement worked extremely well till SKANDGUPTA and it helped to keep peace among various ruling families however, afterwards it did not work for Gupta successors. To understand Gupta Administration we must consider following points :-

• KING :- Rulers during Gupta period conferred various titles like MAHARAJADHIRAJ, PARMESHWARA, PARAMABHATTARAKA which indicate three things -

1.  Kingship hierarchies - They ruled many lesser kings whom they defeated earlier.
2. Divinity attached to king- The titles also indicate that kings were compared to Gods.
3. Involvement of priestly class- As Gupta rulers made grants to Brahmanas, who expressed their gratitude by comparing them to Gods and perform ceremonies on their behalf.

• ARMY :- The army was divided into various wings among which Cavalry became most important with new advancement brought by central Asian tribes [ Indo- Greeks, parthians, kushans, satavahanas], Elephantry wing lost it importance as compared to earlier period of Nandas and Mauryans and horse archery became an important element in military tactics. King use to have only 5% of the total army rest 95% were maintained by feudal lords. Whenever royal army passed through countryside the local people had to feed it.some important officers of army were

1.  MAHASHWAPATI use to be head of Cavalry,
2.  MAHAMAHIPALAPATI as head of Elephantry,
3.  head of infantry use to be MAHANARPATI.

• TAXES AND GRANTS :- During Gupta period land taxes increased in number and ratio varied from 1/4 to 1/6 of the produce. Several types of taxes were-

1.  Bali -It was voluantry in Mauryan era and it was given to king now became compulsary in Gupta era.
2.  Bhaga - King's share in all produce it was 1/4 to 1/6.
3.  Bhoga- The tax in kind of gift, flowers woods,fruits etc.
4.  Hiranya- Tax paid in cash[gold]. 
5. Shulka -It was custom or toll tax charged from traders.

          Guptas made three types of garants-

1. Firstly religious grants to brahmans
2. Secondly educational institutions
3. Thirdly secular grants to crown officers.
   

•   JUDICIAL SYSTEM :- Judiciary was far more developed undr Guptas than in earlier times although polarization of judiciary system was done during Mauryan era, what Guptas introduced was first time law was codified and arranged in a serial order and criminal and civil cases laws were clearly demarcated, theft and adultery fell under criminal and property matters were under civil. Several law books were compiled during this period such as MANUSMIRITI,NARADSMIRITI etc. there are total 108 smiritis. Different smiritis were followed by various feudal lords but at core by Guptas Manusmiriti was followed. The basic difference among various smiritis were mode of punishment vary for same crime.
• BUREAUCRACY :- As Guptas had decentralised administration their bureaucracy was not as elaborate as Mauryans. The king was advised by mantriparishad which include five groups -

1. SANDHIVIGRIHIKA minister of war & peace 
2. PATALADHIKRITA minister of accounts
3. BALADHIKRIT as commander in chief
4. DANDNAYAK minister of law & order
5. MAHAPRATIHAR minister of maintaince  royal palace 

• CITY ADMINISTRATION :- The head of city was nagarashreshthin, which consisted of many representatives of guild merchants including Sarthavaha who represented the trading communities, Prathamakulika who represented the crafting communities (artisans) and Prathamakayastha, who represented Government official community. The proviance were termed as BHUKTI and its head use to be UPARIKA, further Bhukti's were sub divided into districts called VISHYA which was headed by VISHYAPATIS or AYUKTAS.
• VILLAGE ADMINISTRATION :- The village were termed as VITHIS and for each village there was a village assembly head of Vithis were ADHIKARAN. The GRAM SABHA was smallest administration unit after Vithis and its head was called GRAMAPATI or GRAMIK.
• FEUDALISM :- The Gupta period was decentralised and policy adopted by rulers was to enjoy and let it enjoy, the core areas i.e. Anuganga, Saket, Prayag and Magadh were ruled by Gupta rulers directly rest whole of India was ruled by them through feudal lords. The basis of feudalism was Landgrants the king use to donate inhabited areas to a person with special ability or sometime to a person from whom they were happy or rarely to their officers. Feudal lords use to provide king following things -

1. Financial assistance
2. Matrimonial alliance
3. Army assistance

• CONCLUSION :- The Gupta dynasty was decentralised and unlike Mauryan era king was not fountain head and all powers of the king was limited till core areas only and this system of administration worked properly till Skandgupta only. The king does not maintain standing army like Mauryans they were provided by feudal lords at the time of war and now Cavalry became most important wing of army and the Guptas beuracracy was not as elaborate as Mauryans due to its decentralised nature. The basis of Gupta administration were feudal lords and at last they revolted and Gupta dynasty came to an end.  

Rise and decline of Gupta empire

INTRODUCTION

After Mauryan empire two major powers emerged in India and they were Kushans in north India and Satvahanas in south India. Satvahanas were politically united and they gain economic prosperity through trade with Roman empire from the port of Kochi. Kushans played same role in north and they traded trough silk road which passed from Taxila , they installed various toll plaza and thus Kushans were first to issue gold coins in India. Both these powers came to end in mid- third century. Kushans power In north came to end in around 230 CE.

                                           To understand Gupta dynasty we must know about both Gupta feudalism and Gupta imperialism ,Gupta's  may have been of Vaishya origin although Gupta empire was not as large as Mauryan empire but it kept north India politically united. The original kingdom of the Gupta empire comprised UP & Bihar and UP appears to be major province of Gupta's because early Gupta coins and inscriptions are mostly found in state territory. Their centre of power was at PRAYAG[Allahabad] and from here they spread into neighbouring regions.

·         Gupta feudalism :- Allahabad pillar inscription by HARISENA[court poet of SAMUDRAGUPTA] preamble describe about origin of Gupta dynasty, according to which Murundas were feudal lords of Kushans and they granted land to SHRIGUPTA who was of Vaishya origin as Murundas were happy of his services and then his son GATTOTKACH who was of sound physic was able to conquer his contemporary feudal lords through wrestling matches and acquired Anuganga, Prayag[ALLAHABAD], Saket[Ayodhya] and Magadh and this way gupta feudalism came into existence.

·         Gupta imperialism :- Chandragupta 1 son of GHATTOTKACH married a Lichchhavi princess ,probably from Nepal. From here Gupta imperialism came into existence.

CHRONOLOGY OF GUPTA RULERS

CHANDRAGUPTA 1 [ 319-334 CE] :- He is regarded as an important ruler as he started the gupta era after marriage to a Lichchhavi princess .

   SAMUDRAGUPTA [ 335-380 CE] :- He was son of Chandragupta and during his tenure Gupta empire expanded enormously  the places conquered by Samudragupta can be divided into five groups.

a)      Group one included prices of Ganga-Yamuna region

b)      Group two includes eastern Himalayan rulers and some parts of Nepal ,Assam and Bengal.

c)       Group three include forest kingdom located in vindhya region known as Atavika rajyas.

d)      Group four include twelve rulers of eastern Deccan and south India who were conquered and liberated.

e)      Group five includes Shakas and Kusahans ruling in Afghanistan.

According to Chinese source MEGHVAVARMAN the ruler of Sri Lanka took permission from Samudragupta to build a Buddhist temple at Gaya. He was termed as Napoleon of India. 

CHANDRAGUPTA || [ 380-412 CE] :- He also extended the Gupta empire not  by conquest but through marriage alliance he married his daughter Prabhavati to a Vakataka prince ruled in central India, the prince died and was succeeded by his son and Prabhavati became virtual ruler she promoted interest of her father thus Chandragupta exercised indirect control over Vakataka kingdom.Chandragupta also conquered Malwa and Gujrat region and this conquest gave him control over the western sea coast famous for trade and commerce.During Chandragupta period cultural evolution took place and every literature was composed during his period.

DECLINE OF GUPTA EMPIRE

☆ Hunas from central asia who were firstly suppressed by Skandgupta  but could not be handled by his successors and by 485 CE Hunas captured malwa and some part of central India, Punjab and Rajasthan also passed in their hands.

☆Rise of feudatories as feudal lords appointed by Gupta kings in north bengal and their feudatories declared themself independent. Maukharis rose to power in Bihar and UP by 550 CE. The rulers of valabhi established their authority in gujrat and malwa which were main source of economic prosperity of Gupta dynasty.

☆Narsingh baladitya son of Prabhavati refused the control of Chandragupta || and as a result Gupta dynasty control over vakataka lost.

☆Contradiction in feudal system occurred and it was of two types

a) Due to feudal system the taxation on trade increased and thus far land trade came to an end and gradually traders started buying land and becoming feudal lords which resulted in Urban decay.

b) Due to political turmoil feudal lords use to fight among them self which also resulted in degradation of trade.