Textbook
Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)
The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.
Padmasambhava
Saint / religious leader
active c. 770 CE
Guru Rinpoche, who brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan.
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 their realm 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
Nagabhata I
King, Gurjara-Pratihara Empire · c. 730 CE – c. 760 CE
Nandivarman II
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 731 CE – c. 796 CE
Vikramaditya II
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 733 CE – c. 744 CE
Dantidurga
King, Rashtrakuta Empire · c. 735 CE – c. 756 CE
Kirtivarman II
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 746 CE – c. 753 CE
Gopala
King, Pala Empire · c. 750 CE – c. 770 CE
Krishna I
King, Rashtrakuta Empire · c. 756 CE – c. 774 CE
Dharmapala
King, Pala Empire · c. 770 CE – c. 810 CE
Dhruva Dharavarsha
King, Rashtrakuta Empire · c. 780 CE – c. 793 CE
Vatsaraja
King, Gurjara-Pratihara Empire · c. 780 CE – c. 800 CE
Govinda III
King, Rashtrakuta Empire · c. 793 CE – c. 814 CE
Lalitaditya Muktapida
King, Karkota Dynasty of Kashmir · c. 724 CE – c. 760 CE
Events in their lifetime
| c. 740 CE | Lalitaditya's Martand Sun Temple |
| c. 750 CE | Gopala elected king in Bengal |
| c. 753 CE | Dantidurga founds Rashtrakuta power |
| c. 757 CE | Kailasa temple, Ellora begun |
| c. 788 CE | Adi Shankaracharya born (traditional) |
| c. 800 CE | Vikramashila university founded |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Padmasambhava’s life.
Andal
Saint / religious leader · active c. 800 CE
The only woman among the twelve Alvars; composed the Tiruppavai
Overlap: 30 years
Adi Shankaracharya
Philosopher · c. 788 CE – c. 820 CE
Exponent of Advaita Vedanta who founded four mathas
Overlap: 12 years
📚 Recommended reading
Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Textbook
An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.
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