Reference
A History of South India
The classic survey of the south, from prehistory to the fall of Vijayanagara.
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 Hoysala 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
Vima Kadphises
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 95 CE – c. 127 CE
Gautamiputra Satakarni
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 106 CE – c. 130 CE
Kanishka I
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 127 CE – c. 150 CE
Vasishthiputra Pulumavi
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 130 CE – c. 159 CE
Huvishka
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 150 CE – c. 190 CE
Yajna Sri Satakarni
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 170 CE – c. 199 CE
Vasudeva I
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 190 CE – c. 230 CE
Sri Gupta
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 240 CE – c. 280 CE
Mahasena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 274 CE – c. 301 CE
Ghatotkacha
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 280 CE – c. 319 CE
Chandragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 319 CE – c. 335 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
Skandagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 455 CE – c. 467 CE
Dhatusena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 455 CE – c. 473 CE
Budhagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Kashyapa I
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Pulakeshin I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 543 CE – c. 566 CE
Kirtivarman I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 566 CE – c. 597 CE
Simhavishnu
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 575 CE – c. 600 CE
Prabhakaravardhana
King, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · c. 580 CE – c. 605 CE
Events in their lifetime
| 1017 | Chola conquest of Sri Lanka completed Northern Sri Lanka became the Chola province of Mummudi-chola-mandalam. |
| 1018 | Mahmud sacks Mathura and Kannauj The Pratihara capital was plundered. |
| c. 1023 | Rajendra's Ganga expedition; Gangaikonda Cholapuram founded Chola armies reached the Ganga and a new capital commemorated the victory. |
| 1025 | Chola naval expedition to Srivijaya Srivijaya's ports were raided, securing Chola trade routes to China. |
| 1026 | Mahmud of Ghazni raids Somnath The Somnath temple was plundered and Mahmud carried vast treasure to Ghazni. |
| 1030 | Al-Biruni writes the Kitab al-Hind |
| c. 1055 | Death of Raja Bhoja Paramara power declined under attack from the Chaulukyas and Kalachuris. |
| 1070 | Vijayabahu I expels the Cholas from Sri Lanka Sinhalese rule was restored with its capital at Polonnaruwa. |
| 1076 | Chalukya-Vikrama era of Vikramaditya VI |
| c. 1135 | Jagannath temple at Puri begun |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Ramanujacharya’s life.
Bilhana
Poet / writer · active c. 1080
Author of the Vikramankadevacharita
Overlap: 60 years
Hemachandra
Scholar / historian · c. 1088 – c. 1173
Jain polymath at the court of Kumarapala
Overlap: 49 years
Atisha Dipankara
Saint / religious leader · 982 CE – 1054
Vikramashila scholar who revived Buddhism in Tibet
Overlap: 37 years
Al-Biruni
Scholar / historian · c. 973 CE – c. 1050
Author of the Kitab al-Hind, a study of India
Overlap: 33 years
Sekkizhar
Poet / writer · active c. 1135
Author of the Periya Puranam on the Nayanar saints
Overlap: 32 years
Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II)
Scientist / mathematician · c. 1114 – c. 1185
Mathematician who wrote the Lilavati
Overlap: 23 years
Kalhana
Scholar / historian · active c. 1148
Author of the Rajatarangini, the chronicle of Kashmir
Overlap: 19 years
📚 Recommended reading
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Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
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