Textbook
Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)
The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.
Yijing (I-tsing)
Traveller / envoy
635 CE – 713 CE
Chinese monk who studied at Nalanda in the 670s-680s.
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
Harshavardhana
Emperor, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · 606 CE – 647 CE
Pulakeshin II
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 610 CE – c. 642 CE
Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla)
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 630 CE – c. 668 CE
Vikramaditya I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 655 CE – c. 680 CE
Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 695 CE – c. 728 CE
Bhaskaravarman
King, Kamarupa · c. 600 CE – c. 650 CE
Chach
King, Brahmin Dynasty of Sindh (Chach) · c. 632 CE – c. 671 CE
Raja Dahir
King, Brahmin Dynasty of Sindh (Chach) · c. 695 CE – c. 712 CE
Muhammad ibn Qasim
Commander, Umayyad Caliphate — Sindh province · 711 CE – 715 CE
Events in their lifetime
| c. 636 CE | Xuanzang studies at Nalanda |
| 642 CE | Narasimhavarman I captures Vatapi Pulakeshin II was killed and Narasimhavarman took the title Vatapikonda. |
| 643 CE | Harsha's assemblies at Kannauj and Prayag |
| 647 CE | Death of Harsha |
| c. 700 CE | Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram |
| 712 CE | Muhammad ibn Qasim conquers Sindh Raja Dahir was killed and Sindh became an Umayyad province. |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Yijing (I-tsing)’s life.
Kumarila Bhatta
Philosopher · active c. 700 CE
Leading philosopher of the Purva Mimamsa school
Overlap: 43 years
Brahmagupta
Scientist / mathematician · c. 598 CE – c. 668 CE
Mathematician who gave rules for zero in the Brahmasphutasiddhanta
Overlap: 33 years
Xuanzang
Traveller / envoy · c. 602 CE – c. 664 CE
Chinese pilgrim who studied at Nalanda and visited Harsha's court
Overlap: 29 years
Ravikirti
Poet / writer · active c. 634 CE
Composer of the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II
Overlap: 29 years
Banabhatta
Poet / writer · active c. 630 CE
Author of the Harshacharita and Kadambari
Overlap: 25 years
Appar (Tirunavukkarasar)
Saint / religious leader · active c. 620 CE
Nayanar saint who converted Mahendravarman I to Shaivism
Overlap: 15 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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