Editing History of India (section)

==== Gupta Empire ====
{{Main|Gupta Empire}}
{{Further|Meghadūta|Abhijñānaśākuntala|Kumārasambhava|Panchatantra|Aryabhatiya|Indian numerals|Kama Sutra}}

{{multiple image
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 350
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| title             = Gupta Empire
| image1            = Map of the Gupta Empire.png
| caption1          = [[Gupta Empire]] around 420&nbsp;CE at its peak territorial extent under Kumaragupta I.
| image2            = Mahabodhitemple.jpg
| caption2          = Current structure of the [[Mahabodhi Temple]] built during the Gupta era, 5th century CE. The location are marked where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.
}}

The Gupta period was noted for cultural creativity, especially in literature, architecture, sculpture, and painting.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/285248/1960/The-Gupta-empire-at-the-end-of-the-4th-century|title=Gupta dynasty: empire in 4th century|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=16 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330103811/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/285248/1960/The-Gupta-empire-at-the-end-of-the-4th-century|archive-date=30 March 2010}}</ref> The Gupta period produced scholars such as [[Kalidasa]], [[Aryabhata]], [[Varahamihira]], [[Vishnu Sharma]], and [[Vatsyayana]]. The Gupta period marked a watershed of Indian culture: the Guptas performed Vedic sacrifices to legitimise their rule, but they also patronised Buddhism, an alternative to Brahmanical orthodoxy. The military exploits of the first three rulers – [[Chandragupta I]], [[Samudragupta]], and [[Chandragupta II]] – brought much of India under their leadership.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/gallery/photos/8.html|title=The Story of India&nbsp;– Photo Gallery|publisher=PBS|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref> Science and political administration reached new heights during the Gupta era. Strong trade ties also made the region an important cultural centre and established it as a base that would influence nearby kingdoms and regions.<ref>Coedes, G. (1968) ''The Indianized States of Southeast Asia'' Edited by Walter F. Vella. Translated by Susan Brown Cowing. Canberra: Australian National University Press. Introduction... ''The geographic area here called ''Farther India'' consists of Indonesia, or island Southeast Asia....''</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Bernard Philippe Groslier|title=The art of Indochina: including Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia|url=https://archive.org/details/artofindochinain00gros|url-access=registration|year=1962|publisher=Crown Publishers}}</ref> The period of peace under Gupta rule is known as ''[[Pax Gupta]]''.

The latter Guptas successfully resisted the northwestern kingdoms until the arrival of the [[Alchon Huns]], who established themselves in Afghanistan by the first half of the 5th century CE, with their capital at [[Bamyan, Afghanistan|Bamiyan]].<ref>Iaroslav Lebedynsky, ''Les Nomades'', p. 172.</ref> However, much of the southern India including [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] were largely unaffected by these events.<ref>''Early History of India'', p. 339, Dr V.A. Smith; See also ''Early Empire of Central Asia'' (1939), W.M. McGovern.</ref><ref>''Ancient India'', 2003, p. 650, Dr V.D. Mahajan; ''History and Culture of Indian People, The Age of Imperial Kanauj'', p. 50, Dr [[R.C. Majumdar]], Dr A.D. Pusalkar.</ref>