SECULARISM IN INDIA.

10^th-11th centuries, Turk-Afghans invasions;

The Dehi Sultanates (1206-1526).

एक दुखी परिवार – १६ 

We get back, to revisit the finer nuances of Indian History in the post muslim invasions era, beginning the 10^th – 11^th century, which led to the establishment of the Dehi Sultanates (1206-1526).

In the history of India, Middle kingdoms of India covers a period beginning from around the 6th-7th century.

In South India, Chola kings ruled Tamil Nadu, and Chera kings ruled Kerala. They also had trading relationships with the Roman Empire to the west and Southeast Asia to the east.

In north India, Rajputs ruled in many kingdoms. Some of those kingdoms continued for hundreds of years, in that they were averse to expansion as much were they averse to invasion within their own territory.

The Pratihara kings ruled kingdoms in Rajasthan and some other parts of northern India from the 6th century to the 11th century.

The Palas ruled the eastern part of India. They ruled over areas which are now parts of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and the west Bengal, and of Bangladesh. The Palas ruled from 8th century to the 12th century.

In the southern parts of India, Rashtrakutas of Malakheda (Karnataka) ruled the Deccan during the 8th-10th centuries after the end of Chalukya rule.

All these three dynasties always tried to vie with one another, to grab control on the entire north India. During all these times, lasting for three to four hundred years, the Chola kings were growing in power and influence.

The Rajputs

In the 6th century, several Rajput kingdoms came into being in Rajasthan. Many other Rajput kings ruled in different parts of north India. Some of these kingdoms continued to survive for hundreds of years, during different periods of the history of India.

In 1336, two brothers, named Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara Empire, in an area which is now in Karnataka state of India. The most famous king of this empire was Krishnadevaraya.

In 1565, rulers of this empire were defeated in a battle. But, the empire continued for about next one hundred years.

A number of kingdoms of south India had trading relations with the Arabs in the west, and with Indonesia and other countries of the east.

ISLAM

Having surveyed and having taken the above overview, the pivotal issue arrived, i.e., Islam, as a faith accompanying the invasions.

Islam, as a faith, spread across the Indian subcontinent over a period of 500 years.

In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established sultanates in Delhi.

In the early 16th century, descendants of Genghis Khan swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal Empire, which lasted for 200 years.

From the 11th to the 15th centuries, however, southern India was, better say, continued to be dominated by Hindu Chola and Vijayanagar Dynasties, unruffled by the above said invasions.

During this time, the two systems—the prevailing Hindu and Muslim—mingled and that product mix, cast a lasting cultural influences, on each other, both communities at the ground level acquiring each others’ culture.

From here on, the concept of secular co-existence began, which owed especially to the muslim influences, rather than any other.