Post-Gupta
Post-Gupta · Harshavardhana · Pallavas · Chalukyas · Rashtrakutas
7 min read · Updated 2026-05-25
What is the post-Gupta period?
The post-Gupta period was the phase from the mid-sixth to the late tenth century CE, when regional powers replaced imperial unity. Harshavardhana ruled the north from Thanesar and Kannauj between 606 and 647 CE; the Deccan and south were contested by the Badami Chalukyas, Pallavas of Kanchipuram and Rashtrakutas; and Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas fought the tripartite struggle for Kannauj.
The story
It is 606 CE. Harshavardhana, a 16-year-old prince of the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) dynasty of Thanesar, ascends the throne after the assassination of his brother Rajyavardhana. Within seven years he has united the political successor states of the Gupta empire — from Punjab to Bengal, Gujarat to Odisha — and shifted his capital from Thanesar to Kannauj, which will reign as the political heart of North India for the next 400 years.
While Harsha rules the North, the Pallavas at Kanchipuram, Chalukyas at Badami, and later the Rashtrakutas at Manyakheta will fight a four-century Deccan triangular war. From this contest emerge Mahabalipuram's shore temples, Pattadakal's Vesara experimentation, and the monolithic Kailasanatha at Ellora — three UNESCO-grade architectural gifts to the world.
For UPSC, this 7th-10th century arc is dense, tested heavily, and connects to the next chapter on Imperial Cholas.
Why this matters for UPSC
For UPSC:
- Prelims: Pushyabhuti Vardhana dynasty; Harshacharita (Banabhatta); Xuanzang (Hsuan Tsang) visit; Pallava rulers (Mahendravarman I, Narasimhavarman I + II); Chalukya rulers (Pulakeshin II, Vikramaditya VI); Rashtrakutas (Dantidurga, Krishna I — Kailasa temple, Amoghavarsha); Tripartite Struggle (Palas vs Pratiharas vs Rashtrakutas); Pala patronage of Vikramashila + Odantapuri; Kannauj as imperial capital.
- Mains GS-I: South Indian temple architecture evolution (Mamalla + Rajasimha + Vesara); Indian cultural reach (Sailendra dynasty, Borobudur); regional kingdoms' role post-Gupta.