Harsha and the age of Kannauj
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After the Guptas, King Harshavardhana ruled north India from Kannauj, and the Chinese scholar Xuanzang studied at Nalanda.
c. 550–750 CE
How it was ruled
Harsha (606–647 CE) ruled from Kannauj; his southward advance was stopped at the Narmada by the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II.
How people lived
Harsha held great religious assemblies and gave gifts every five years at Prayag; Banabhatta wrote his biography, the Harshacharita.
What people did
Farming, crafts, and the work of monks and scholars at great monastic universities.
What people ate
Rice, wheat, milk, sugar and fruit; Xuanzang describes Indian cooking and cleanliness.
Trade
Contact with Tang China grew through pilgrims and embassies.
Region by region
- Uttar Pradesh: Kannauj became the most important city of north India for centuries.
- Haryana: Thanesar (Sthanvishvara), the home of Harsha's family.
- Bihar: Nalanda had thousands of students and teachers from across Asia.
Key events
- 606 CE: Harsha becomes king
- c. 630–645 CE: Xuanzang travels and studies in India
- 647 CE: Harsha dies; his empire breaks up
Legacy
Nalanda's name lives on in Nalanda University, re-established in 2010 near the ancient ruins.