Dark Age of Indian History (c. 200 BC – c. 300 AD) ?

Dark age of Indian History as discussed by Harsh

The concept of Dark age was put forward by the colonial historians to spread propaganda against the Indian civilization and to downgraded the image of Indians, to shattered the self-esteem of Indians and to justify their rule in India. H.H. Wilson and V.A. Smith were the main colonial historians who put forward the theory of Dark age for the first time.

Dark age refers to that phase of human history during which the progress in human life was absent and it saw an all-around degeneration. The five centuries of post-Mauryan age (C. 200 BC – C. 300 AD) were presented as the dark phase of Indian history by colonial historians. It was emphasized that India underwent political fragmentation during this age.

Indians were repeatedly defeated by foreign invaders. No progress of any kind was witnessed during this age, whether it was economy or it was society. The human development was almost negligible during this age. These propagandas were spread by colonial historians to justify their rule in India.

Also Read : Post-Mauryan Age – Political History of West, South and Deccan India

Post-Mauryan Period – Society and Philosophical Developments

Post-Mauryan Period – Resources and Political History of North India

Reality of Post-Mauryan Age

The archeological and various other evidences of post-Mauryan clearly nullify these propagandas as various dimensions of post-Mauryan age constituted a remarkable period of progress in human life. The so-called darkness was nowhere visible in the life of post-Mauryan age. In fact, this was the age of golden progress in many spheres of human life.

The progress was visible in economic sphere as trade and commerce flourished during this age because of the Silk route which was passing through the territory of Kushana empire. This age was also the age remarkable art and culture because of the emergence of Gandhara School, Mathura School and Amravati School of Arts. This age also witnessed the progress in science and technology as well.

Architecture and paintings were also encouraged by rulers like Satvahanas. This period also saw new developments in the field of religion as well. The emergence of Mahayana Buddhism was most significant development in the philosophical sphere. Progress was witnessed in the political life during this age, so it was not an age of political degeneration. Though the great Mauryan empire was disintegrated but at the same new political units emerged in India.

Satvahanas emerged in parts of central India and Deccan. For the first time, the state system was developed in the south India. The Cholas, Pandyas, and Cheras were the major powers in the south India during this age. They not only patronized art and culture but at the same time they were efficient rulers. The Chola rulers like Karikala and Ellara were so powerful that they conquered Sri Lanka as well.

The Indo-Greeks, Shakas and Kushanas were from outside but as they entered in India, they were no longer foreigners. In fact, for the first time the Indian rulers ruled over the central parts of Asia with their capital in India. The progress in literature was remarkable in post-Mauryan age, in both South and North India. Patanjali was written by Mahabhashya who lived in the court of Pushyamitra Shunga.

Charak Samhita was written by Charak in first century AD. Sanskrit began to used commonly during this period. It became the language of scripts. The progress was not limited to only Sanskrit as Tamil literature also flourished during this age. Sangam literature was composed by the assembly of poets held in court of Pandyan rulers of Tamilnadu. This all-around progress was witnessed in all-over the subcontinent. The ports of Muziris and Arikamedu participated in the trade and commerce activities with Roman.

Thus, we have seen that the darkness was nowhere visible during the post-Mauryan age. So, it is obvious that this theory of Dark age was just a propaganda to shattered the image of Indians.