• Pushyamitra Shunga revived Vedic rituals and started to re-promote hinduism
  • performed one Ashwamedha Yajna under guidance of his chief priest Patanjali
    • details of Ashwamedha Yajna mentioned in Ayodhya inscriptions
  • sad that Pushyamitra destroyed many Buddhist stupas & monasteries at Sanchi
  • succeeded by son Agnimitra Shunga
  • love affair b/w Agniitra Shunga w/ princess Vidisha Malvika mentioned in novel Malvika Agnimitra by Kalidasa
  • next ruler Vasumitra promoted Buddhism
  • reconstructed all stupas in Sanchi destroyed by Pushyamitra Shunga
  • during tenure of Bhagabhadra, a Greek ambassador Heliodorus visited Shunga’s court
  • w/ large number of his followers, he accepted Hinduism
  • in worship of Lord Vishnu, he erected a pillar named Garuda Dhwaj in Vidisha (MP)
    • place also called Bhilsa, Besnagar
    • regarded as the first archaeological evidence of Vishnu worship in India
  • last Shunga ruler, Devahuti was killed by his minister, Vasudev Kanva around 75BC
  • led to estd of Kanva Dynasty in Magadha
  • vedic hinduism was still promoted in this age