SOURCE : http://www.speakingtree.in/slideshow/map-of-india-from-1-ad-to-the-20th-century
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1. The mind-blowing history of India
India’s history is dappled with the wreck of empires. Kingdoms have sporadically risen here, expanded and fallen, reshaping with them the region’s culture and uniqueness. Historian Thomas Lessman, who has been researching world history for over 20 years, has created a series of maps of India showing these shifts from 1 AD till the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. Get ready for a mind-blowing historical tour…
2. 3000 - 1000 BCE
Let's start from the Indus valley civilization. This was among the 4 oldest civilizations. It was a pioneer in city building, sanitation, pottery and trade. As a 200-year drought hit the Indus Valley, the civilization started moving much more east and south. There is a period of Indian history from 1500 BCE - 500 BCE, where we clearly don't know what happened.
3. 600 BCE - The Age of Empires
This is the era of the Mahajanapadas and Mahabharata is believed to have happened in this period. The 11 in the map below is the Kuru kingdom (of Kauravas).
4. 323 BCE - Invasion of Alexander
After various wars (some of them immortalized in Indian epics), the Magadhas started consolidating really big under the Nanda Empire. This is how India looked after Alexander attacked India. The Magadhas however didn't get a chance to fight the great conqueror.
5. 200 BCE Rise of the Mauryas
The attack of Alexander left some Indians, like the Taxila professor Chanakya, really angry and a massive empire followed the Nandas. It was build by Chandragupta and watered by Ashoka. For the first time, all of India came under 1 rule. Even the south Indian kings for the first time became vassals to Ashoka.
6. 100 BCE - the rule of Indo-Greeks
Good things end eventually and after a century, the Mauryans were done. This time a whole bunch of Indo-Greeks (from various intermarriages) started taking over. Period of confusion like the period before 300 BC.
7. 1 CE - Consolidation begins
Around this time, things again started to consolidate. The Indo-Parthians, Indo-Scythians (cross between Indians and Central Asians), Satvahanas of Andhra and Kalingas of Orissa ruled vast territories. You can already see Manipur in North East appearing now.
8. 100 CE - The Kushans Take over
This is the period when the Central Asians had a lot of influence. Emperor Kanishka was the best of the lot and many central Asian nations became a part of India. The capitals were Peshawar, Taxila, Mathura and Bagram (Afghanistan). Satvahanas still rule the south and they were responsible some of the equisite art of central India - Amaravati and Sanchi.
9. 480 CE- Guptas at the peak
After the Kushanas came the Guptas - the golden age of India. They took India to its heights in culture, economy and science. You can also see that the south has its first change in a long time (Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas replaced by the Kalabharas) and the Kamarupa kingdom of Assam gaining momentum. Kalingas would also be reduced greatly
10. 500 CE- Tragedy strikes India
After 2 centuries of rule, the Guptas are finally pushed back by the Hunas of Central Asia. Central Asian nomads also destroyed the Sassanids and Romans in the same period. Like the Mauryas and Nandas, they ruled from Patna.
11. 600 CE Harsha's empire
After the fall of the Guptas, Emperor Harsha would take the fight to the Hunas and drive away the invaders. He would try to bring some of the golden age of Guptas back, but his empire would break as soon as he died. You can also see that the Kalabharas have finally been taken over by the Chola, Chera, Pandyas of the south. After this, Kalabharas would be completely wiped from Tamil conscience. The Pallavas would start to flex their muscles and build some of the great rock-cut temples, such as Mahabalipuram.
12. 800 CE Rise of the Palas
This was a Buddhist kingdom from the east of India. The Palas took the Gupta build Nalanda university to its heights.
13. 900 CE - Kannauj Dynasty reigns
The Gurjars from Kannuj (Uttar Pradesh) would run over the Gupta territory in the north. In the south, the Rashtrakutas and Cholas would fight for supremacy.
14. 1000 CE - The rise of Cholas
The Rashtrakutas would give way to the Chalukyas in the south and the north would be divided. It is in this period that the Cholas of south would begin their domination, especially over South East Asia. They would control Sri Lanka and a lot of SE Asia. Can you see the looming Ghaznavid empire at the top left? They will slowly start moving into India.
15. 1200 CE- India under siege
This was among the worst periods for India, as the Ghurid Sultanate ate into northern India. Famous universities like Nalanda were destroyed. The south would also implode due to various reasons.
16. 1400 CE Delhi Sultanates & Vijayanagara
North and South would be quite divided in this age. The Afghans of the north would consolidate under the Delhi Sultanate, while south would be consolidated under the Vijayanagar Empire. Some great works of art emerged on both sides.
17. Mughals (1605- 1707)
The Delhi Sultanates gave way to the Mughals who ruled for about 150 years. Some of the great architecture of the north, such as the Taj Mahal was built around this period. After losing its native kingdoms, south continues to be in a state of restlessness.
18. 1750 CE Marathas
The Marathas under Sivaji and later kings would start to eat away Mughal empire and had a good chance to consolidate India. However, they would fight with the Ahmad Shah Abdali of Afghanistan and lose in the 3rd battle of Panipat. Their fall would make it easy for the East India Company.
19. India map 1857
East India Company starts chewing in the pieces left by the Marathas and built an empire. In 1857 this empire was taken over by the British Crown.
20. 1930 - British Raj
Until 1937, Britain uses its Indian Raj to control their possessions in Asia. Burma was then cut off from India. Ceylon was never under Indian control though as Britain didn't find it as profitable. However, they moved people from India into Ceylon and Malaysia.
21. 1947 - The Dawn of Freedom
Here is what India looked just before the partition on August 15, 1947.
22. India in 1953 - State Reorganization
In 1953, India started reorganizing states on linguistic lines.
23. Present
This is our India of the present. It stands like a person with wide open arms.
24. To conclude
Like all nations of the world, India's boundaries wax and waned through the last 5000 years of history. Hope you enjoyed knowing about the various Indian empires and what percentage of the subcontinent they ruled back then.
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