History Test - 4

Rajendra Chola I extended the influences of the already vast Chola Empire upto the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean. Rajendra 's territories extended coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives conquered the kings of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java and Malay Peninsula in South East Asia) and Pegu islands with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, thePalaking of Bengal and Bihar, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

Chandragupta II was the third ruler of the Gupta Empire of India who took the epithet of Vikramaditya 4th century CE Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, credits Chandragupta Vikramaditya with having conquered about twenty one kingdoms, both in and outside India.The title Vikramaditya 'was later used by 16thcentury Hindu king Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya as well.

Panini was a Sanskrit grammarian from Pushka lavati, Gandhara. He is known for his Sanskrit grammar, particularly for his formulation of the 3,959 rules of Sanskrit morphology, syntax and semantics in the grammar known as Ashtadhyayi (meaning "eight chapters ").

Kalidas was one of the "ninegems "at the court of a king named Vikramaditya, generally identified with the great Gupta ruler, Chandragupta II.

The Milinda Panha (Questions of Milinda) is a Buddhist text which dates from approximately 100 BC. It purports to record a dialogue in which the Indo-Greek king Menander I of Bactria, who reigned in the 2nd century BC, poses questions on Buddhism to thesage Nagasena.

In a discovery that might excite geologists the world over, researchers of the State Forest Research andTraining Institute (SFRTI) in Chhattisgarh, in November 2012, announced to have discovered tree fossils that date back about 250 million years - or the Jurassic age. The discovery couldbe a precursor to more such findings in the Sarguja region, known for its rich fossil reserves.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi was built by Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Dhamek Stupa in Sarnath is thought to be the oldest Stupain existence. The stupa of Bharhut is between Allahabad and Jabalpur situated in the erstwhile Nagod state of Madhya Pradesh.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is marked by a commemorative pillar erected by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka of India during his pilgrimage to the holy site in 249 BC. The inscription on the Ashoka Pillar indentifies the Sacred Garden spread over 9 sq. km -as the spot where the Enlightened One was born. Lumbini was known as Rummindei in Asoka 's time.

In 1905, R. Ramashashtry discovered and published the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on state craft. He transcribed, edited and published the Sanskrit edition in 1909. He proceeded to translate it into English, publishing it in 1915.

The National Emblem of India is derived from the time of the Emperor Ashoka. It is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the Emperor Ashoka in 3^rd century B.C. to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation.

Krishnadevaraya (1509-1530), the greatest  emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire, composed Amuktamalyada. Considered a masterpiece in Telugu literature, the epic poem is believed to have been written and dedicated to Lord Venkateswara. The administration of the empire was carried on along the lines indicated in his Amuktamalyada.

The Allahabad Pillar inscription or Allahabad Prasasti is one of the most important epigraphic evidences of the imperialGuptas. It was composed by Harisena, the courtpoet and minister of Samudragupta. It delineatesa vivid description of the reign and conquests of Samudragupta.

Gandhara art was a style of Buddhist visual art that developed from a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian, and Indian artistic influences during the first few centuries of Christian era. The foreign influence is evident from the sculptures of Buddha in which they bear resemblance to the Greek sculptures. Both Shakas and Kushanas were patrons of Gandhara School.

The Ajanta Caves, comprising rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments, are located in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. Elloracaves, one of the largest rock cut monastery-temple caves complexes in the world, are also located near Aurangabad. Ajanta and Ellora caves form one of the major tourist attractions in Mar athwada region of Maharashtra.

Mohen jodaro is interpreted as "Mound of the Dead Men "in Sindhi, and as "Mound of Mohan "(where Mohan is Krishna).The city 's original name is unknowrn Mohenjodaro is located west of the Indus River inLarkana District, Sindh, Pakistan.

The city of Mahabalipuram was largely developed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I in the 7th century AD. The mandapa or pavilions and the rathas or shrines shaped as temple chariots are hewn from the granite rock face, while the famed Shore Temple erected half a century later, is built from dressed stone. The Pancha Rathas shrines were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I. The purpose of their constructions not known, structures are not completed.

After attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, Gautam Buddha went to Sarnath (ancient Isipatana) near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. It was at the deer park in Sarnath that he preached his first discourse onthe Four Noble Truthsto a group of five monks and set in motion the Wheel of Dharma. Sarnath is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage.

The Dilwara Jain temples are located near Mount Abu in Rajasthan. These temples were built by Jain laymen between the 11^th and 13^th centuries AD and are world-famous for their stunning use of marble The Dilwara temples are a sacred pilgrimage place of the jains

The Kailasa temple at Ellora, Maharashtra, was built in the 8^th century by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I as attested in Kannada inscriptions. This is one of the 34 temples and monasteries known collectively as the Ellora Caves. It is a megalith carved out of one single rock.

The 6^th century B.C was an age of religious ferment in the world. In India, it witnessed the birth of Buddhism and Jainism. It was in the same period that Heraclitus preached his new doctrines in the Greek island of Ionia; Zoroaster launched his protest against the prevailing religious superstitions in Iran and Confucius showed a new way of life in China.