What Was the Golden Age of Chandra Gupta?
Under the rule of Chandra Gupta II, a golden age of arts and learning took place. Most learning occurred in religious schools. Some of these schools were Hindu. Others were Buddhist. There was a large monastery and school at Nalanda. It was Buddhist. Students came there from all over Asia to learn math, medicine, science, and more.
Mathematicians of the Gupta Empire created the number system we use today. These numerals are called Arabic, however. This is because the Arabs were the ones to carry the numerals from India to the Middle East and Europe. Indian scholars created the idea of zero. They also developed the decimal system based on ten digits, which we use today. Indian mathematicians were also able to figure out the length of the year and calculated the value of pi.
Indian writers worked in Sanskrit to record fables and folk tales. These stories spread to Persia, Egypt, and Greece. They became the basis for many later stories that are popular today, such as Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin and his Magic Lamp.
Kalidasa was the most well-known Gupta poet and playwright. His play Shakuntala tells the story of a king who marries an orphan. An evil spell causes the king to forget his wife. He only recalls her after many adventures.
During the Gupta Empire, the arts flourished. Indian artists carved great sculptures on stone temples. These temples were covered with religious figures and scenes from myths. Music was often heard in the courts. Paintings showed colorful scenes from stories. Famous murals can be found inside cave temples at Ajanta, in west India. Creative dance was also important. Each gesture had special meaning.
Gupta workers were also skilled at metallurgy. Chandra Gupta I had metal workers build a huge wrought-iron pillar in honor of his father. It still stands today. It is more than twenty-three feet tall and weighs more than six tons. The pillar dates from 400 CE and is located in Delhi, India. This unique design would not be used by Europeans until the 19th century.
What Were the Guptas’ Advancements in Medicine?
Indian doctors used herbs and other medicines to treat disease. They could set bones and perform simple surgeries. They also began vaccinating people against smallpox. This was not done in Europe for another thousand years. The Indian system of medicine, the oldest in the world, was called Ayurveda. This means "knowledge of life." There are still people who practice Ayurveda today.
