Lehal Library

The Sikh Homeland 11 Hinduism was evolved, and many of the great works of Sanskrit literature written. The Aryans were followed by other races. The Persians under Darius (521-485 BC) conquered northern Punjab, and for a hundred years his successors ruled over Peshawar, Taxila, and Rawalpindi. In 326 BC Greek armies under Alexander the Great crossed the Indus and swept on as far as the Beas. Although the Greeks left behind by Alexander were deprived of power by the Indian Mauryas a few years after his death, they left a permanent impress on the face of the Punjab. In Peshawar, Tax.Ha, and perhaps in some other towns as well, Greek artists produced some of the greatest works of sculpture found anywhere in the world. 11 Maurya power was extinguished by Bactrian invaders. Menander is believed co have gone across central Punjab and beyond the Beas. The Bactrians were followed by many Scythian tribes. \iVhen the:: dust raised by the invading armies had settled, the Indian Guptas spread their benevolent rule over the country. For some centuries they were able to block the gaps in the mountains anci keep out other invaders. By AD 500, lhe pressure from Central Asia became too great and once more the sluice gates were forced open to let in the Mongoloid Huns. The Huns were subdued and expelled bv Vardhana. His son Harsha was the last great Indian ruler of lhe Punjab. After Harsha's death in AD 647, Vardhana's empire disintegrated and races lhmg across ltte Sulaiman and Hindu Kush mountains began to pour into Hindustan. The nc.:w t~onquerors who came belonged to diverse tribes bUl had one faith: they were Muslims. In AD I 001 came Mahmud of Ghazni. Thereafter the Afghans came like the waves of au mcommg tide, each column advancing further inland into Hind11stan. The Ghaznis were followed by other Afghan tribes: the Ghoris, Tughlaks, Surs, and Lodhis. Between the succession of Afghan invasions came the terrible visitation in 1398 of the Mongol. Taimur, an invasion from which 11 Examples of lhe Gandhara School can be seen in Museums at Peshawar, Taxila. Lahore, Delhi. Mathura, and many other cities.