TIME LINE OF INDIA

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DATES

PERIODS

EVENTS
3129 BC   Mahabharat War
3102 BC   Sri Krishna passes away and start of Kaliyuga
B.C.E.
3000		 PRE HISTORY
  
2300 Indus River Civilization
(ca.2300-1750)
Development of urban grain-growing civilization on the Indus River; two main cities are Harappa and Mohenjo Daro:undeciphered proto-Dravidian script;destroyed by environmental pressures, migrations.
1750 Aryan Migration
(ca.1750-1000)		 Migration into Northwest of India of nomadic herding tribes from Iranian plateau; Indo-European language development; oral religious traditions preserved in Vedas, oldest of which,the Rig Veda, predates migration.
1000



500

 Brahamanism
(ca. 900)

Buddhism

Jainism

 Early Hinduism characterized by sacrificial rituals, belief in karma and reincarnation, and division of society into four classes (varnas).
326 Invasion of Alexander the Great
Mauryan Empire
(324- 200)		 Domination of North India by Chandra-gupta, extended to South by grandson, Ashoka
250 Development/Diffusion of Sanskrit Culture Major texts of Hindu tradition take shape:Mahabharata, Ramayana, codification of laws, grammar, science, arts; gods Shiva, Vishnu are major figures; spread of Sanskritic culture to South India.
200 Invasions of North India Invasions by Central Asian tribes. Bactrian Greeks; Sakas; Kushans. (establish dynasty ca. 78-200 C.E.).
C.E.

300		 CLASSICAL HINDU CULTURES Classical Hindu tradition expressed in poetry, drama (Kalidasa); art, temple architecture: philosophy (Vedanta); and new forms of devotional (bhakti) worship.
320 Gupta Dynasty(320-550) Guptas dominate North India at beginning of "classical" period.
455 Invasions of Huns
(ca. 455-528) 		Successive invasions of Huns; other Central Asian tribes destroy Gupta empire.
650

 Rajput Dynasties

South Indian Dynasties
(ca. 650-1336)
Warlike clans appear in Rajasthan.

Pallava dynasty dominates the south continuing conflict with Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas.
711

1000

 Arabs Take Sind (711)

Raids of Mahmud of Ghazni
(997-1027)

  
   MUSLIM DOMINANCE Invasions of Muslims from Central Asia lead to political dominance of Muslims in North India and introduction of Persian culture and Islamic religion into South Asia.
1192 Dehli Sultanate
(1192-1526) 		Turko-Afghan chieftains establish sultanate at Delhi: dominate North India.
  Vijayangar
(1336-1646)

Portuguese Traders in India (1498)		 Rise of Hindu kingdom in South India; independent of Muslim rulers until destruction of capital city in 1565.
1526 Mughal Empire (1526-1858) Mughal Empire unifies North and parts of South India under its rule; amalgam of Persian and Indian culture created in its courts and territories.
   European Traders in India Establishment of trading outposts in India: Dutch (1609); English (1612): French (1674).
1700 Rise of Regional Powers Weakening of Mughal authority frees local Muslim rulers; rise of indigenousregional powers:Sikhs (Punjab), Rajputs (Rajasthan), and Marathas (West India).
1757 Battle of Plassey Victory over Nawab of Bengal gives East India company control of Bengal and begins expansion of British power in India.
1800 BRITISH RULE Political dominance of Britain introduces Western culture, language, methods of government, and technology into urban administrative centers.
1947 MODERN SOUTH ASIA
India (1947)
Pakistan (1947)		 Independence from British rule: partition of British India into modern countries of India and Pakistan (East and West).

 

courtesy Professor Judith Walsh of the State University of New York, Old Westbury, for the Columbia University Project on Asia in the Core Curriculum.