Kanauj is a small
city located fifty kilometers upstream from Kanpur on the Ganges River.
Kanauj, previously known as Kanyakubja, is currently a
little city, although it was formerly one of northern India's most important.
Its existence may be traced back to the sixth century B.C.E.
The city served as a vital halt on the commerce route that
ran across the Ganges basin.
Ptolemy's Geography, published about 150 C.E., mentions it.
Kanauj was also a significant political center; it was the
capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, headed by Emperor Harsha, in the early
seventh century.
The Pala, Rashtrakuta, and Gurjara Pratihara dynasties
struggled for sovereignty of the city in subsequent centuries, with the
Gurjara-Pratihara finally taking control.
Kanauj seems to have fallen into permanent decay after being
attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017 C.E.
Its current legacy is that it is home to the Gangetic
Plain's major branch of brahmins.
They are known as Kanaujia brahmins.
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