Sunga

Sunga, also known as the Shunga dynasty, was an ancient Indian ruling house that followed the Maurya Empire and governed parts of the Indian subcontinent from roughly 185 to 75 BCE. The dynasty is traditionally dated to be founded by Pushyamitra Sunga, who, according to earlier sources, killed the last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha to seize the throne. The Shungas established a political center in Magadha with Patna (Pataliputra) as a major city and extended their influence over neighboring regions in northern and central India.

Rulers and state organization: The Shunga rulers governed a substantial portion of northern and central India for about a century. The dynasty's line included figures such as Agnimitra, Vasudeva, and Devabhuti, among others, with the line ending when the Kanva dynasty rose to power after Devabhuti’s death around 73 BCE. The period is characterized by a continuation of Mauryan administrative practices and a shift in religious patronage and cultural styles.

Culture and religion: The Shunga era is noted for a revival and patronage of Brahmanical Hinduism, alongside continued Buddhist activity in various regions. The period contributed to developments in Indian art and sculpture, with early Buddhist monuments such as Bharhut and evolving stylistic expressions that influenced later Buddhist and Hindu imagery. Surya and other Hindu motifs began to appear with greater prominence in sculptural and architectural works. The religious policies of Pushyamitra are debated; some Buddhist sources claim persecution, but modern scholarship remains divided on these accounts.

Legacy: The Sunga dynasty ended with the rise of the Kanva dynasty, but its century-long rule is regarded as an important bridge between Mauryan monumental art and the later classical styles that shaped Indian art and temple architecture.