The Indo-Greeks were on decline & the grounds were fertile for yet another invasion of #India. This time it was the Yuezhi tribe of Gansu from #China. They established the #KushanEmpire.

This #thread is about Kushans & how they became Indianised, unlike later Islam!c invaders.

The Kushans started to establish themselves as a major power around 30 CE with Kujula Kadphises forming a confederacy of various tribes from China.

They adopted Greek as their court language, which was soon replaced by Bactrian, the popular local language.
They also adopted #Buddhism & #Hinduism as their religion. They issued coins with Hindu Gods like Shiva with a trishul & Buddha in Abhaya mudra.

This was unlike the later Islam!c invasions where the invaders would try to obliterate local languages and religions.
The Kushans were heavily influenced by the prevalent Greek culture, especially in sculpture. The Kushans expanded their territories & ruled with two capitals, one in Gandhara & one in Mathura. This also established the Gandhara & Mathura School of Kushan arts.
Kushans also introduced the first human form of Buddha who was previously depicted with symbols like a throne, a wheel or a peepal leaf.

They patronised trade & sent Buddhist monks to #Tibet, #China, #Korea & #Japan. Lokaksema went to China & translated Buddhist texts in Chinese
During the Kushan times the #Karakoram pass became the highway for export of Indian goods & Buddhism to rest of the world.

All modern depictions of Buddha are based on the early imagery introduced by the Kushans.
The Central Asian conquest of Kushans led to large scale infrastructure development including canals, which introduced settled farming in the region around #Uzbekistan, #Turkmenistan, #Tajikistan, #Kyrgyzstan & #Kazakhstan

The Kushans also established trade contacts with Rome.
India has always suffered the wrath of foreign invasions but Kushans were an exception. Unlike the Greek or Islam!c invaders the Kushans did not impose their culture, religion or language on the Indians.

In fact they assimilated with the locals & became Indianised.
More interesting facts on the Syncretic empire of Kushans can be read in my book, Essays on Indic History. Available on Amazon: https://t.co/BA8L6L9s1n

More from History

Folks who don't know history just tweet whatever they want.

On Feb 1935, Bose attacked the Nazis as he was angry as Indians were described as Sub-Humans in Mein Kampf. The British arrested Bose in April 1936, because he insulted the Nazis.

#Thread


The West at this point had a soft spot for the Nazis. France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland all gave the Nazi Salute during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Even during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939), the Western powers observed neutrality as the Fascists rose in Spain.


In 1937, Hitler told British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax that one of his fav movies was ‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’. Why?

‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’ depicted a handful of "superior race" Brits holding sway over an entire Indian subcontinent (Sub-Humans).

"Shoot Gandhi. If necessary, shoot more Congress Leaders (Nehru & Bose)."

- Hitler to Lord Halifax, Britain's Foreign Secretary

This statement by Hitler in 1937 angered many pro-Leftist leaders of the INC including Bose.

Bose reached London in Jan 1938, and he met many leaders of the British Labour Party including Attlee.

1938 & 1939 were two huge years for the Indian National Congress. As i always say, the 10-year phase from 1938 - 1948 shaped modern India and it began in 1938 Haripura session.

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