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History Optional PYQ Master Pack · Model answer

How justified are we in characterizing the post-Mauryan five centuries as the “Dark Period” of Indian History? Give reasons in support of your answer.

  • UPSC 2008
  • Post-Mauryan Period

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The five centuries between the fall of the Mauryas (c. 187 BCE) and the rise of the Guptas (c. 320 CE) are often labelled a "Dark Period," largely because no single pan-Indian empire replaced Mauryan grandeur. This label, however, rests on a narrow political yardstick and collapses once the era's trade, art, religion, and literature…

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What the full answer covers

  • Origins of the "Dark Period" Label
  • Flourishing Trade: The Real Story of the Period
  • Urbanization and the Guild Economy
  • Art: A Creative Peak, Not a Dark Age
  • Religious Innovation and Expansion
  • Literary and Scientific Flourishing
  • …and 2 more sections, with a conclusion
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