Textbook
India's Ancient Past
The expanded version of the classic old-NCERT ancient India text; clear and exam-friendly.
Kalidasa
Poet / writer
Gupta Empire
active c. 400 CE
Sanskrit poet-dramatist of Abhijnanashakuntalam and Meghaduta.
Their world
Move along the chart to see their age in any year, who ruled and what happened; click anything to open it.
The map shows Gupta Empire around their lifetime and where the events of their lifetime took place.
Hover a dot for the event; click it to open the full map in that year.
Rulers of the time
Kujula Kadphises
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 30 CE – c. 80 CE
Vima Taktu
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 80 CE – c. 95 CE
Samudragupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 335 CE – c. 375 CE
Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 375 CE – c. 415 CE
Kumaragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 415 CE – c. 455 CE
Gondophares I
King, Indo-Parthian Kingdom · c. 19 CE – c. 46 CE
Prabhavatigupta (regent)
Queen regent, Vakataka Dynasty · c. 390 CE – c. 410 CE
Events in their lifetime
| c. 380 CE | Gupta-Vakataka marriage alliance Secured the Gupta southern flank for the war against the Sakas. |
| c. 395 CE | Chandragupta II conquers the Western Kshatrapas The Guptas gained Gujarat, Malwa and the western ports. |
| c. 400 CE | Kalidasa at the Gupta court |
| c. 402 CE | Iron Pillar erected |
| c. 405 CE | Faxian travels in India |
| c. 415 CE | Kumaragupta I becomes emperor |
| c. 427 CE | Nalanda Mahavihara founded |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Kalidasa’s life.
Vishakhadatta
Poet / writer · active c. 400 CE
Author of the political drama Mudrarakshasa
Overlap: 60 years
Faxian
Traveller / envoy · c. 337 CE – c. 422 CE
Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who travelled through Gupta India
Overlap: 52 years
Buddhaghosa
Scholar / historian · active c. 430 CE
Author of the Visuddhimagga
Overlap: 30 years
Harisena
Poet / writer · active c. 350 CE
Composer of Samudragupta's Prayaga (Allahabad) pillar inscription
Overlap: 10 years
📚 Recommended reading
Reference
A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India
The most complete modern textbook on ancient India, rich in sources, maps and archaeology.
Reference
Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300
An authoritative, interpretive history of early Indian society and states.
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