1. AIHOLE near Badami with rock cut and structural temples of
Western Chalukya period, is favous for the temples of Vishnu, Ladkhan
and Durga. It furnish examples of a well developed Deccan style of
architecture. The other three styles of ancient India being Nagar
Dravidian and Vesara. It is also famous for its inscription or Prasasti
composed by Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulkesin II. This prasasti
mentions the defeat of Harsha by the Chalukya king, Pulkesin II, a r
rare event of a Northern emperor or ruler being defeated by a ruler
south of Narmada.
2. ACHICHHATRA identified with modern Ramnagar in Bareily
district of U.P. was the capital of North Panchala in the first half of
first millennium B.C. Exacavation grove that it had moats and ramparts
around it, it has revealed terracottas of the Kushan period, and also
remarkable siries of coins of second century A.D. Its importance lies in
the fact that it was on the important ancient Indian northern trade
route linking Taxila and Inidraprastha with Kanyakubaj and Sravasti,
Rajgriha and Pataliputra indicating that trae could be one of the
reasons for its prominence.
3. AJANTA near Aurangabad (Maharashtra), is famous for wonderful
Buddist caves, and also paintings probably executed only b the Buddhist
monks. Paintings of exceptional skill belong to the period between 2nd
century B.C. and 7th Century A.D. One of the cave well depicts the
reception of a Persian mission in the Chalukya court of Pulkasin II
indicating cultural and commercial contacts with the Persian empire.
4. ANUPA in Narmada valley mentioned in the Nasik inscription
(dated 115 A.D.) of Gautami Balasri, mother of the Satvahana ruler Sri
Satakarni (Circa 72-95 A.D.) was conqured bythe latter from the sakas,
and was a bone of contention for long between the Sakas and the
Satvahanas. The sakas were responsible for driving the Satavahanas. Into
the south -eastern and western direction. In other words, Anupa
signifies the earlier homeland of the Satvahanas.
5. APARNTAKA (Aparanta), identified withk Konkan, i.e. North
western region of the Deccan, was a bone of contention between the sakas
and the Satavahanas and is mentioned in Nasik Inscription (dated circle
155 A.D.) of Gautami Balasri. Gautamiputa stakarni conquered it from
theSakas. According to the Mahavamsa, the third Buddhist council deputed
Great elder Dharamarakshita to do missionary work in Aparantaka region.
Literacy evience locates the Abhiras in this region, who probably were
responsible for identifying Lord Krishna as the diety of cowherd and
milk-maids.
In matters relating to trade and commerce it was famous for the
production of cotton textiles in ancient times and ated, as the
hinterland for the ancient ports of Bharukachechha and Sopara.
6. ARIKAMEDU near Pondicherry, known to the periplus as podoka,
wa port of call in Sangam Times (200 B.C.) on the route of Malaya and
china. Recent excavation during which a veryrich treasure of Roman
beads, glass and coins, and of Roman and south Indian Pottery were found
have proved that it was once a prosperous settlement of Western trading
people, including the Romans.
The favourable balance of Payments position ejoyed by India in its
trade with Rome is amply revealed by the rich haul of Roman gold coins.
7. AYODHYA also known as A-yu-te or Abhur of Saketa on the river
Sarya (Modern Ghaghra) in Faizabad district of U.P. was the earliest
capital of the Kosala Janapade and was the seat of the epic hero, Rama.
It is also known for its short Sanskrit inscription of king Dhandeva of
Kosal (belonging probably to the first century B.C.) which refers to the
conducting of two Asvamedha sacrifices by king Pushyamitra. From the
economic view-point it was located on the important trade of
Tamralipti-Rajagriha-Sravasti which passed via Ayodhya.
8. AMRAVATI near modern Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), is famous
for its stupa and as an art center flourishing under the Satavahanas and
the pallavas. Second century works of art khow mastery of stone
sculpture. Amravati bas-reliefs have the representation of ancient
Indian vehicles - the boat or the ship or the cart, and of a foreign
mission (like the Ajanta cave paintings) of marchants being received by a
king. In ancient times is was an important center of trade, and ships
from here sailed to Burma and Indonesia.
It is maintained by some scholars that a human figure, for the first time, that a marble stone relief was executed.
9. ASIKA (Probably on the left bankof the river Krishna), is
mentioned in the Nasik inscription (dated circe 115 A.D.) of Gautami
Balasri, it was conquered by the Satavahana rular Gautamiputra
Satakarini (………) The latter fact reveals that Gautamiputra Satakarni
gained a stronger hold of southern India which proved beneficial because
of the continuing Saka pressure even after his victory against the
Sakas. King Kharavela of Kalinga also made a claim of its conquest.
10. AVANTI (western Malva) one of the 16 Janapadas of 6th century
B.C. with its capital at Ujjain; struggle dhard against Magadhan
imperialism but in vain. According to Buddhist traditions, Asoka, the
Mauryan ruler, served as the Viceroy of Avanti, while he was a prince.
Since Malwa region is important politically, and economically it became a
bone of contention between the Sakas. And the Satavahanas, Rashtrakutas
and Pratiharas in ancient India. It is through this region that the
importanttrade routes from eastern and western Indian passed Via Ujjain
to the important Western ports Bharukachchha (Broach) and Soparaka
(Sopara).
11. ANGA one of the 16th Janapadas of 16th century B.C. Lay to
the east of Magadha with Champa, near Bhagalpur, as its capital. Some of
the Anga monarchas, like Brahmadatta, appear to have defeated their
Magadha contemporaries. Subsequently, however, Magadha emerged supreme
leading to the establishment of the first empire of ancient India. In
other words, the conquest of Anga by Magadha was one of the stepping
stones for the Magadhan Empire.
12. BARHUT in central Indian is famous for Buddhist Stupa and
stone railings which replaced the wooden ones in the Sunga period.
Barhut sculptures depict the visit of king Ajatasatru to the Buddha.
Barhut along with Sanchi and Bodh-Gaya represent the first organized art
activity of the Indian people as a whole. Furthermore, all these
clearly indicate the transition of sculpture from wood to stone.
13. BARYGAZA OR BHARUKACHCHA (Broach) was the oldest and largest
northern most entrepot on the mouth of the Narmada river in modern
Maharashtra. It handled the bulk of the trade with western Asia (Jataka
stories and the Periplus mention it). It was also one of the district
head quarters of the Saka rulers. According to Jain traditions, it was
the capital of the Saka empire. It was international trade that mode
Barygaza important in ancient India.
14. BARBARICUM was an important port in the Indus delta,
receiving Chinese furs and silks through Bacteria for export to the
West. It added to the growing prosperity of India in the first century
A.D.
15. BADAMI (MODERN NAME FOR VATAPI) in Bijapur district was
founded by pulkesin I as an early capital of the Western Chalukyas. It
as a hill-fort and an exquisite cave temple of lord Vishnu excavated
during the rule of Manglesh, the Chalukya ruler. Huen-tsang visited it.
16. BODH-GAYA situated six miles south of Gaya in Bihar on the
western bank of the Nilajan river, was the place where the Buddha
attained enlightenement. It was part of the Magadha janapada.
17. BANAVASI (north kanara in Karnataka) also known as
Vaijayanti, was the capital of the Kadambas who were defeated by the
Chalukya king Kirtivarman during the last quarter of the 6th century
A.D. According to the Ceylonese chronicles Ashoka sent a mission to
Deccan with the Monk Rkshita who went as far as Banavasi.
18. BRAHMAGIRI in Chitaldurg district of Karnataka, is remarkable
for its continuity of cultural heritage extending from Neolithic
(stone-age culture) to megalithic (early historic culture-3rd century
B.C. to Ist century B.C. with possible links with Mediter anean and
Caucasian Megaliths) revealing ancestory worship and animism pointing to
the practice of cist and pit burials. It is the site of one of the two
minor rock edicts of Askoka. These edicts suggest the provability of
Ashoka entering the Sangha as a full monk after two and a half years of
his conversion to Buddhism.
19. BURZAHOM in Kashmir Valley near Srinagar, is associated with
megalithic settlements (dating 2400 B.C.) where the people lived on a
plateau in pits using tools and weapons of stone (axe) and bones. (The
only other site which has yielded considerable bone implements is
Chirand, 40 km. West of Patna on the northern bank of the Ganges and
using coarse grey pottery. The information that we gather from the two
places, recently discovered, throws light on the proto-histroy of
India).
20. BAMIYAN an important Buddhist and Gandhara Art center in
Afghanistan in the early Christian centuries, has tall rock-cut Buddha
statues. The ancient trade route linking north western India with China
passed through it. It was the capital of the Hunas in the 5th and the
6th centuries A.D.
21. BELUR with a group of Hoysala monuments including the famous
Chennakesava temple (built around 1117 A.D.) represents an art which
applies to stone the technique of the ivory worker or the goldsmith.
