The time between the fall of the Kushanas and the rise of the Guptas , a period of anarchy was called as the dark age.
The political scenario of of northern India after the extinction of the Kushanas and the Adhras till the ascendancy of the Imperial Gupta was absolutely anarchic and tumultuous . This period was one of the darkest period in Indian History and the historians have described the term "Dark Age" to this period. The epoch of the dark age, i.e.,the beginning of the fourth century , the existing power Kushanas could not retain the administrative machinery of their Empire properly. As a result incessant local revolts started occuring. The provincial and the local Governors took the advantage of the weakness of the central authority and demanded their Independence. They raised their stanadrd of revolt against the Kushana yoke and established their own independent kingdom. The weakness of the central authority made the situation pregnant enough for internal discord and anarchy and India was wrapped in petty political atoms. The states which unfurled the flag of their independence, after getting detached from the folds of central authorityof the Kushanas, established established their independent statuseither as monarchic states or as republican states . However history of the "dark age" began from the Kushana period whenforces of disintegration crept up during the later Kushanas.
Dr. K. Jamanadas possessed different opinion and said that the 'Rajput Dark age of India'. The Rajput were mostlt of foreign origin. They were not a race but a group of clans of distinct originThis presumption received support from the familiar legend about the fire pit at Mt. Abu.
Prof. Mukherjee made a note which was an accepted view. He said that "the fact seemed to be that when a foreign clan or a tribe became Hinduised that ruling families were recognised as Kshatriyas while the rank and file lost their tribal characterand developed into an Indian caste of inferior rank."
Dr. Ambedkar observed that " one view was that they were foreigners, remnants of the Huns who invaded india and established themselves in Rajputana and whom the Brahmins raised to the status of Kshatriyas with object of using using them as means to suppress Budhisms in Central India by a special ceremony before the sacred fire and who were therefore known as Agnikula Kshatriyas.."
Persecution of Budhists was maximum during Rajput period;
The perssecution of Budhists was started by the Brahmins long time back. The authority of Brahmins over the masses was tremendous. Masses following budhists tenents was a great danger to brhmin supremacy. They had tried to sabotage Budhist sangha and Asoka had to drive a way sixty thousands of fake bhikus. real persecution of Budhists had started at the time Pushyamitra Shunga, who burnt manastries and killed many monks.persecution of Mihirgula was so horrible, that he was declared by Brahminsto be an Avatar of klanki, the tenth Avatarof Bishnu.He built big temples and wiped out Budhists monastries.
