Kanauj is of high antiquity and renown. Founded long before the dawn of the Christian era, it first rose to importance in the sixth century a.d. when it became the capital of the Maukharis and when it grew rapidly in authority and influence till its conflict with later Guptas. This followed Harsa of Thaneswar assuming control of affairs in Kanauj. Harsa`s death plunged Kanauj into anarchy and darkness that lasted for about half a century. However, as a result of the protracted campaigns of the next rulers, Pratiharas, Kanauj grew to enormous dimensions camprising territories as widely apart as Saurastra and North Bengal, Magadha and Rajputana till it fell from its high position because of armed adventures of Mahmud and then Sihabuddin Ghori. History of Kanauj presents, in short the story of this ancient realm which is full of political vicissitudes and ephemeral grandeur.

This book is primarily meant for the general public and the students, who desire to understand the history and culture of their country. Though a general work encompassing historical, cultural, economic, political and administrative features, the book is none the less authentic and authoritative. A Comprehensive History of India is the product of a joint venture undertaken by a group of historians who do not go by conformist views but by critical, objective and analytical assessment of events and developments in accordance with the methodical discipline of scientific research.

A Single-Volume Study Of Ancient Indian History Delineating The Various Facets, Both Political And Cultural, And Incorporating The Fruits Of Recent Researches That Have Abundantly Appeared Since 1950, Has Not Been Attempted Before. Author Has Tried To Maintain A Delicate Balance Between Political History And Social, Economic And Cultural History Of Ancient India.The Book Covers The Pre-Historic India, The Vedic Age, The Post-Vedic Civilization, North India In The Sixth Century B.C. It Also Explains New Religious Movements And Their Socio-Economic Background, Maurya Age, Political Disintegration And Foreign Invasions. The Gupta Empire, The Prominence Of North Under Harshavardhana And Its Eclipse, Bengal Under The Palas And The Senas, Dynasties Of North India, Arabs And Turks In India, Indias Intercourse With The Outside World, Have Been Discussed In Depth.History Of Deccan And South India, Hitherto Not Given Due Weightage And Culture And Civilization Of Ancient India In All Its Variegated Hues, Have Received Due Attention. Some New Topics Like Espionage, Slavery, Guilds, Urbanisation, Feudalism And Science And Technology In Ancient India, Have Been Incorporated To Make The Book As Uptodate As Possible. Apart From Meeting The Requirements Of Undergraduate And Postgraduate Students Of Indian Universities, The Book Will Serve As A Useful Guide To Candidates For Civil Service Examination (Both Preliminary And Main).

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This Is The First Monograph On Yasovarman Of Kanauj, Dealing Comprehensively With All Aspects Of His History And Career. It Also Critically Surveys The Obscure Political History Of Northern India And Gives A Vivid Account Of The Social And Cultural Life Of The Period. The Work For The First Time Treats At Length The Ancestry And Date Of Yasovarman, The Identification Of The King Of Gauda Killed By Him, The Date Of Yasovarman'S Battle With Lalitaditya And Also Most Tantalizing Problem Of The Successors Of The Kanauj King. And The Author Has Considerably Improved The Earlier Views On These Problems. Dr. Mishra Has Chosen His Hero About Whom So Little Is Known, And He Has Made A Very Good Use Of Rather Scanty Materials At His Disposal. He Has Very Ably Marshalled All Facts That Could Be Culled From All Available Direct And Indirect Sources Having The Slightest Bearing On The Career And Period Of Yasovarman'S Reign, Classified Them In Proper Order And Presented A Very Cogent Story In A Lucid And Persuasive Style. His Presentation Is Very Good, Documentation Very Creditable And Analysis Logical And Critical. His Interpretation Of The Famous Passage In The Gaudavaho (Allegedly Mentioning Lalitaditya'S Invasion Of Kanauj), And Fixing The Date Of (Yasovarman'S) Battle With Lalitaditya Deserves Careful Consideration (Extracts From The Report Of Dr. B.P. Shinha, Professor And Head Of The Deptt. Of Ancient Indian History, Patna University . The Author Is Able To Reconstruct The Course Of Events In Greater Detail Than Before, By A Careful Study Of Recently Published Inscriptional Evidence And From Literary Sources Which Hitherto Have Been Little Noticed In This Context. Thus He Produces A Very Well Reasoned Analysis Of The Subject Which Forms A Very Positive Contribution Of Knowledge. In Social Life, The Nature Of The Material Is Such That Important Original Points Could Not Be Expected, But The Author Makes A Number Of Small Positive Contributions Especially Regarding The Status Of Women And The Dress Of The Period (Extracts From The Report Of Dr. A.L. Basham, Prof. Of Asian Civilization, Australian National University, Canberra).

The Book Narrates The Early History Of India Beginning From 600 B.C. To The Muhammadan Conquest Including The Invasion Of Alexander The Great. It Is A Highly Analytical Work. The Book Would Be Highly Interesting And Of Great Value For The Students, Teachers And Researchers Of Indian History.

Basic Approach Developed as a comprehensive introductory work for scholars and students of ancient and early medieval Indian history, this books provides the most exhaustive overview of the subject. Dividing the vast historical expanse from the stone age to the 12th century into broad chronological units, it constructs profiles of various geographical regions of the subcontinent, weaving together and analysing an unparalleled range of literary and archaeological evidence. Dealing with prehistory and protohistory of the subcontinent in considerable detail, the narrative of the historical period breaks away from conventional text-based history writing. Providing a window into the world primary sources, it incorporates a large volume of archaeological data, along with literary, epigraphic, and numismatic evidence. Revealing the ways in which our past is constructed, it explains fundamental concepts, and illuminates contemporary debates, discoveries, and research. Situating prevailing historical debates in their contexts, Ancient and Early Medieval India presents balanced assessments, encouraging readers to independently evaluate theories, evidence, and arguments. Beautifully illustrated with over four hundred photographs, maps, and figures, Ancient and Early Medieval India helps visualize and understand the extraordinarily rich and varied remains of the ancient past of Indian subcontinent. It offers a scholarly and nuanced yet lucid account of India s early past, and will surely transform the discovery of this past into an exciting experience. Tabel of Contents List of photographs List of maps List of figures About the author Preface Acknowledgements A readers guide 1. Understanding Literary and Archaeological Sources 2. Hunter-Gatherers of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Ages 3. The Transition to Food Production: Neolithic,Neolithic Chalcolithic, and Chalcolithic Villages, c. 7000 2000 bce 4. The Harappan Civilization, c. 2600 1900 bce 5. Cultural Transitions: Images from Texts and Archaeology, c. 2000 600 bce 6. Cities, Kings, and Renunciants: North India, c. 600 300 bce 7. Power and Piety: The Maurya Empire, c. 324 187 bce 8. Interaction and Innovation, c. 200 BCE 300 ce 9. Aesthetics and Empire, c. 300 600 ce 10. Emerging Regional Configurations, c. 600 1200 ce Note on diacritics Glossary Further readings References Index Author Bio Upinder Singh is Professor in the Department of History at the University of Delhi. She taught history at St. Stephen s College, Delhi, from 1981 until 2004, after which she joined the faculty of the Department of History at the University of Delhi. Professor Singh s wide range of research interests and expertise include the analysis of ancient and early medieval inscriptions; social and economic history; religious institutions and patrona≥ history of archaeology; and modern history of ancient monuments. Her research papers have been published in various national and international journals. Her published books include: Kings, Brahmanas, and Temples in Orissa: An Epigraphic Study (AD 300 1147) (1994); Ancient Delhi (1999; 2nd edn., 2006); a book for children, Mysteries of the Past: Archaeological Sites in India (2002); The Discovery of Ancient India: Early Archaeologists and the Beginnings of Archaeology (2004); and Delhi: Ancient History (edited, 2006).