A Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj

Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 15: Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 15.2

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After Harṣha died in 647, rich, central Kannauj became the prize in a long Tripartite Struggle (a contest of three parties) in the 8th–9th centuries, with no lasting winner. In the east, the people of Bengal chose Gopāla around 750 to restore order, founding the Pāla dynasty. His son Dharmapāla founded Vikramaśhilā, a university of six colleges and about 3,000 scholars, where a dvārapaṇḍita (scholar gatekeeper) tested each new student. The Pālas also supported Nālandā and traded by sea with Southeast Asia.

From the west came the Gurjara-Pratīhāras, founded by Nāgabhaṭa I, famous for pushing back Arab invasions. Their King Bhoja (also called Mihira) ruled from Punjab to Kannauj in the 9th century. From the Deccan came the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, who overthrew the Chālukyas under Dantidurga and ruled from Mānyakheṭa. Their king Krishna I had the Kailaśhanātha temple at Ellora carved out of a single hillside, and Amoghavarṣha I, a poet in Sanskrit and Kannada, ruled for 64 years. Rulers then often supported Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions together.

Explore: which of the three rivals?

1. Sort each clue.

Remember

• The Pālas, Gurjara-Pratīhāras and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas fought over Kannauj for two centuries.
• They also built universities like Vikramaśhilā and wonders like the Kailaśhanātha temple.

Quick check

Why was Kannauj so attractive to the three dynasties?

1. its rich, central place on the Ganga plains
2. it had the only port in India
3. it was in the Himalayas
4. it had no army

Think about it

Why might a scholar "gatekeeper" test students before letting them into a university?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.