States PCS: Assam GK Questions for Assam Public Service Commission Exams

Notes:
Mahiranga, of the Danava dynasty, is cited as the earliest ruler in Assam, as per the Kalika Purana.

Notes:
The Varman dynasty (c. 350–650 CE) was the first historically documented dynasty of the Kamarupa kingdom in ancient Assam, established by Pushyavarman. Founded as a contemporary of the Gupta Empire, it transitioned from a subordinate state to an independent kingdom under rulers like Mahendravarman. The dynasty is best known for its most illustrious ruler, Bhaskaravarman, who established alliances with Harshavardhana and hosted the Chinese traveler Xuanzang. 

Notes:
Assamese ancient inscriptions predominantly use Sanskrit written in Devanagari and North Indian Brahmi scripts on copper plates and stone tablets. Brahmi script is one of the oldest writing systems in the Indian subcontinent and was commonly used in ancient Assam.

Notes:
The Salastambha dynasty succeeded the Varman dynasty after Bhaskaravarman’s death. They ruled Kamarupa for about 250 years with 21 rulers, including the last, Tyaga Simha. The Varman dynasty ruled before 655 AD, and the Pala and Chutia dynasties were unrelated to this period in Kamarupa’s history.

Notes:
Bhaskaravarman’s Doobi grant documents Brahmanical rituals such as vrata (vows) and dana (charity). It demonstrates royal support for Brahmanical Hinduism in Assam during his reign in the 7th century CE. This inscription reflects the integration of local non-Aryan cultures with orthodox Brahmanical practices under Bhaskaravarman’s rule.

Notes:
The Pala dynasty is connected to the Salastambha and Varman dynasties. Bhaskarvarman of the Varman dynasty allied with Harshavardhan and issued the Nidhanpur Grants in Assam’s history.

Notes:
The Kamarupa Kingdom existed from approx. 350 to 1140 CE and is the earliest known kingdom in Assam’s history. It was succeeded by other kingdoms including the Ahom, which ruled from 1228 to 1826. Kamarupa played a foundational role in the early political and cultural development of the region known today as Assam.

Notes:
Daojali Hading is a Neolithic archaeological site located in Dima Hasao district of Assam. It is the first stratified Neolithic site discovered in Northeast India, dated to around 2700 years ago. The site has yielded cord-marked pottery, polished stone tools, jadeite artifacts from China, and evidence of early grain cultivation.

Notes:
The Pala dynasty was established by Brahmapala around 900 AD in Kamarupa. It used the suffixes ‘Pala’ and ‘Varman’ to claim descent from the Naraka lineage. The dynasty succeeded earlier rulers in the region and played a key role in medieval Assam’s history.

Notes:
Dharmadhi was appointed as the Brahmin guru after the 16th-century Hinduization of the Kachari kingdom, a kingdom located in Northeast India. The Hinduization process led to the establishment of Hindu religious institutions in the region.