Revision Notes for Chapter 7 The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Social Science

Chapter 7 The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity  Revision Notes Class 6 Social Science NCERT

NCERT Notes of The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity for Class 7 SST is available on this page of studyrankers website. This chapter is from NCERT Textbook for Class 7 Social Science named Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part I. This textbook is published by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training). Class 7 Social Science Textbook published by NCERT is prescribed for CBSE students. Chapter 7 The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity Revision Notes is very helpful in understanding the chapter clearly and in easy manner. Students can also find NCERT Solutions for The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity on this website for their reference. It is very helpful for class 7 students in preparing for the examination. We have covered all the important points and topics of the The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity  chapter of class 7 SST ncert textbook. Students can also find all the questions answers of The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity chapter which is in the textbook updated to latest pattern of cbse and ncert.

NCERT Notes for Chapter 7 The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Social Science

The Gupta Era (3rd to 6th century CE) is known for its progress in art, literature, science, and governance.

Gupta Empire Map

• The Gupta Empire ruled much of north and west India, creating a stable and prosperous society.
• This period is called the Classical Age because of its cultural and intellectual achievements, like beautiful temples, Sanskrit literature, and scientific discoveries.
• Other kingdoms, like the Pallavas in the south and Kamarupa in the northeast, also thrived.
• Great figures like Aryabhata, Varahamihira, and Kalidasa made lasting contributions.

Emerging of New Power

By the 3rd century CE, the Kushana Empire in north and northwest India weakened, allowing new kingdoms to form.

• The Gupta dynasty emerged in present-day Uttar Pradesh as local rulers and grew into a powerful empire.
• The Gupta period is famous for advancements in art, architecture, literature, and science, especially under Chandragupta II.
• The Iron Pillar in Delhi, over 1,600 years old, shows their advanced metallurgy as it resists rust due to a special iron layer.

The Warrior King

• Samudragupta, father of Chandragupta II, was a great warrior king who expanded the Gupta Empire.
• The Prayaga Prashasti, a pillar inscription in Prayagraj by court poet Harisena, praises Samudragupta’s conquests.
• Samudragupta aimed to unify India, called dharani-bandha, by defeating kings and taking their lands.
• Many defeated kings were allowed to rule again but paid tribute, while others surrendered without fighting.
• Harisena wrote that Samudragupta supported art, learning, and trade, making his kingdom wealthy.
• A coin shows Samudragupta playing the veena, highlighting his love for music.
• He performed the ashvamedha yajña, a ritual to show his power, and minted special coins with a sacrificial horse.
• The Vishnu Puraṇa lists key Gupta regions: Anuganga, Prayaga, Saketa, and Magadha, but the empire grew larger, covering most of north, west, central, and east India.

Gold Coin featuring King Chandragupta with his Queen

A Traveller’s Account of Indian Society in the Gupta Age

Faxian, a Chinese traveller, visited India in the early 5th century CE to see Buddhist sites, study with scholars, and collect texts. His travelogue, A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms, describes Gupta society:

• People were happy, didn’t need to register households, and faced no heavy official duties.
• Farmers paid a portion of their grain as tax on royal land.
• The king’s guards and attendants received salaries.
• Cities in the Gangetic plains were large, with rich and kind inhabitants.
• Vaishya (merchant) families built charity houses for the poor, orphans, and sick, offering food and medicine.
• Cities had wealthy merchants, foreign traders, beautiful homes, and clean lanes.
• Faxian also noted harsh treatment of chandalas (outcastes), who lived outside cities, showing not all parts of society were equal.
• Historians use Faxian’s account but check other sources to understand the full picture, as it reflects only his view.

Glimpses of the Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire was a time of peace and progress, with advancements in many fields. It coexisted with other kingdoms, some of which fought for power. The Guptas used military conquests, diplomacy, and alliances to build their empire, following Kautilya’s saptanga ideas, like forming allies (mitra). Their legacy in art, science, and literature continues to inspire today. 

Governance and Administration

• The Guptas had a well-organized administration system, dividing the empire into provinces.
• They gave land grants to local rulers, priests, and chieftains, recorded on copper plates for accurate tax collection.
• This system allowed local leaders to govern their areas while the Guptas managed the empire efficiently.

New Kings - New Titles

• Gupta rulers used grand titles like maharajadhiraja, samrat, and chakravartin, showing their supreme power, unlike earlier kings’ simpler titles like rajan or maharaja.
• They expanded the empire through military conquests, diplomacy, and matrimonial alliances.
• Prabhavati Gupta, daughter of Chandragupta II, married a Vakataka prince, strengthening ties between the Guptas and Vakatakas.
• After her husband’s early death, Prabhavati became a regent ruler for her sons, ensuring strong Gupta-Vakataka relations.
• She was a devotee of Vishṇu and linked to building seven temples, including the Kevala Narasimha temple in Ramagiri, Maharashtra.

Thriving Trade

• The Guptas’ main income came from land tax, along with fines, taxes on mines, irrigation, trade, and crafts.
• This money supported the army, temples, infrastructure, and scholars and artists.
• India traded textiles, spices, ivory, and gemstones with the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and China via the Indian Ocean trade network.
• Socotra Island in the Arabian Sea was a key trading stop, with evidence of Indian traders (pottery, Brahmi inscriptions, Buddhist stupa designs) alongside Egyptians, Arabs, Romans, and Greeks.
• Trade promoted rich cultural exchanges across regions.

New Ideas and Wonders: The Classical Age

Gupta rulers followed Vishṇu, as seen in coins and inscriptions, but supported other beliefs, including Buddhism. They funded Nalanda University and Buddhist viharas (monasteries), showing an inclusive approach.

• Peace and stability led to the Classical Age, with progress in many fields.
• Sanskrit literature grew, with works by Kalidasa and major Puraṇas.
• Aryabhata and Varahamihira advanced mathematics and astronomy.
• Medical texts improved health practices, and metallurgy progressed, as seen in the Iron Pillar.
• Stability strengthened the economy, allowing support for scholars, artists, and scientists, boosting cultural growth.

1. Aryabhata

• Aryabhata lived around 500 CE in Kusumapura (near Patna), a learning center.
• He wrote the Aryabhatiya, a book on mathematics and astronomy.
• He calculated the motions of the Sun, Moon, and planets.
• Aryabhata said the Earth spins on its axis, explaining day and night.
• He estimated a year as 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds, close to the modern value (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds).
• He gave a good estimate of the Earth’s sizeand explained solar and lunar eclipses.
• In mathematics, he shared methods for calculations and solving equations, some still taught today.
• His work influenced science in India and beyond.

2. Varahamihira

• Varahamihira, a mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer, lived in Ujjayini, a city known for learning.
• His book, Brihat Samhita, covered astronomy, astrology, weather forecasting, architecture, town planning, and farming.
• He combined observation, logic, and traditional knowledge, making him a pioneer in science.

3. Kalidasa

• Kalidasa, a famous poet, contributed to Sanskrit literature with his refined poetry.
• Little is known about his life, but legends say he worked hard to overcome ridicule and succeed.
• His poem Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger) tells of a yaksha sending a message to his beloved via a cloud.
• The poem describes love, north India’s landscapes, and weather in detail.

The Quest for Beauty

Gupta rulers created an environment where creativity and craftsmanship thrived. Key art centers included Sarnath (near Varanasi) for Buddha sculptures, Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, and Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh.

• Gupta art set high standards for beauty, with detailed carvings and paintings.
• Ajanta Caves have cave temples with a seated Buddha and paintings like Bodhisattva Padmapani.
• Udayagiri Caves feature carvings of Hindu deities, like a scene from the Mahabharata showing Arjuna and Karna.

The Decline of the Guptas

By the 6th century CE, the Gupta Empire weakened due to external invasions and internal conflicts.

• The Huna tribe from central Asia attacked repeatedly, reducing Gupta control in north India.
• Powerful regional rulers caused internal challenges.
• This decline marked a turning point in Indian history, leading to new regional powers.

Meanwhile in the South and Northeast

While the Guptas ruled the north, the Pallavas grew powerful in the south, ruling parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

• The Pallavas were once tributaries under the Satavahanas but gained power as the Satavahanas declined.
• They followed Shiva and built magnificent temples and rock-cut caves.
• Their capital, Kanchipuram, was called the “city of a thousand temples” and a learning center with ghatikas (schools).
• In the northeast, the Kamarupa kingdom, ruled by the Varman dynasty, covered Assam, parts of Bengal, and Bangladesh.
• Kamarupa, also called Pragjyotisha, was mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, with King Bhagadatta linked to the Mahabharata.
• Kamarupa was a cultural and political center with thriving temples and monasteries.
• Samudragupta defeated Pallava and Kamarupa rulers but let them rule as tributaries, maintaining peace.

Various Aspects of Gupta Art

• Gupta art included sculptures, paintings, and carvings known for beauty and detail.
• At Ahichchhatra (Uttar Pradesh), terracotta sculptures show rivers Ganga and Yamuna, with Ganga on a makara (crocodile-like creature) and Yamuna on a tortoise, with water pots symbolizing rivers.
• Deogarh (Uttar Pradesh) has a temple with Vishṇu on Sheshnag from the Dashavatara temple.
• Ajanta Caves feature cave temples and paintings, like Bodhisattva Padmapani, supported by Guptas and Vakatakas.
• Udayagiri Caves and a Gupta-era temple near Sanchi show carvings, like Arjuna and Karna from the Mahabharata.

Important Points

• The Gupta kings built a strong empire using military campaigns, land grants, and matrimonial alliances for stability.
• The period had great achievements in art, literature, science, and mathematics.
• Besides the Guptas, dynasties like Vakatakas, Pallavas, and Varmans made the period culturally vibrant.

Difficult Words

• Gupta Era: The period from the 3rd to 6th century CE when the Gupta Empire ruled, known for cultural progress.
• Classical Age: A time of great achievements in art, literature, and science during the Gupta period.
• Metallurgy: The science of working with metals, like making the rust-resistant Iron Pillar.
• Prayaga Prashasti: A pillar inscription praising Samudragupta’s achievements.
• Tribute: Payments or gifts given by smaller kingdoms to a powerful ruler.
• Vaishya: A social group of merchants and traders in ancient India.
• Chandalas: Outcastes who faced harsh treatment and lived outside cities.
• Saptanga: Kautilya’s seven parts of a kingdom, including allies (mitra).
• Maharajadhiraja: A title meaning “king of kings,” used by Gupta rulers.
• Regent Ruler: A person who governs temporarily for a monarch unable to rule.
• Nalanda University: A famous ancient center of learning supported by the Guptas.
• Aryabhatiya: Aryabhata’s book on mathematics and astronomy.
• Brihat Samhita: Varahamihira’s book covering many subjects like astronomy and architecture.
• Meghadutam: Kalidasa’s poem about a yaksha’s message sent via a cloud.
• Huna tribe: Central Asian invaders who weakened the Gupta Empire.
• Ghatikas: Learning centers in south India during the Pallava period.