Control over this region was often vital to the power and stability of all of India's major empires, including the Mauryan (320-200 BC), Kushan (100-250 AD) Gupta (350-600 AD) empires. After the Guptas, the region was the heart of Harshavardhana's empire, from Punjab to Bengal, with its capital at Kannauj. Many modern communities in different parts of India%u2014Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Bengal%u2014often trace their lineage to Kannauj
