Bhavabhuti, one of the greatest dramatists of ancient India

In importance, Bhavabhuti is second only to Kalidasa, the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist. He resided in the court of Yasovarman of Kanauj in the early 8^th century. Three of his plays have survived: Malati and Madhava; The Deeds of the Great Hero (Mahavircharita); and “The Later Deeds of Rama” (Uttararamcharita).

Bhavabhuti’s greatness rests on his deep understanding of sorrow. As a matter of fact, in his treatment of the pathetic, according to the critics, he edges past even Kalidasa.

Malati and Madhava is a love story which tells the rescue of the heroine from the jaws of death for more than once.

Mahavircharita and Uttararamcharita tell the story of Lord Rama.

Bhavabhuti in his Uttararamcharita has concluded with the full reconciliation of Rama and Sita in place of the grim ending to the story in which Sita allows herself to be swallowed up by the earth to prove her innocence.

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Bhaskaravarman of Kamrup

A contemporary of Harshvardhan (Harsha) of Kanauj and Sasank, the Gauda king of Bengal, in the first half of the seventh century AD, Bhaskaravarman was the ruler of Kamarup in modern Assam. 

When Sasank, the arch-enemy of Harsha, was increasing the extent of his empire, Bhaskaravarman felt the need of checking his advance.  On the other hand, Harsha was looking for the opportunity to avenge the death of his elder brother and predecessor Rajyavardhana who was killed by the King of Bengal.  The common cause of the both resulted in an alliance between Harsha and Bhaskaravarman.

However, Sasank proved to be a formidable adversary. The combined enemies of Harsha and Bhaskaravarman failed to achieve any tangible results. It was after the death of Sasank that the Gauda kingdom of Karnasuvarna (in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal) became a part of the Kamarupa kingdom. 

Gondophernes: The Pahlava Ruler

                                                        Takht-i-Bahi monastery / Image Credit

Gondophernes was the most prominent and famous of the Pahlava or Parthian rulers who ruled north-western part of India towards the end of the 1^st century BC.  He was a great patron of Indian culture which can be gauged from the numerous coins found in the northwest of India. These coins also point to the wide extent of his suzerainty that included Kandhar, Kabul and Taxila. Gondophernes was probably responsible for the defeat of Hermaeus, the last of the Greek rulers in India.

His inscription has been found at the Buddhist monastery Takht-i-Bhai (Throne of Origins) in Pakistan.

 

Christian tradition has it that India’s first brush with Christianity took place during his reign by the efforts of the Christian apostle St. Thomas who is said to have visited his empire. However, truth of the legend does not find favour with some authorities who maintain that going by Gondophernes’ date he cannot be a contemporary of St. Thomas.

Gondophernes ruled for twenty years. His successors were weak and fought among themselves. Thus came the end of the Pahlava empire.