Rise of 16 Mahajanapadas

  Rise of 16 Mahajanapadas

By the 6th century BC, 16 Mahajanapadas emerged in India.

Mahajanapadas were big territorial state with well established system of administration. Moreover, they were also known for having large standing army.

16 Mahajanpadas -

1.  Anga 

• Modern districts of Munger and Bhagalpur, Bihar
• Capital - Champa

2.  Kosala

• Eastern UP, included Ayodhya and the tribal republican territory of Shakyas of Kapilvastu
• Capital - Shravasti (northern capital) & Kushvati (southern capital)
• Gautam Buddha born in this Mahajanapada
• Important ruler - Prasenjit (Contemporary of Buddha)

3.  Kashi

• UP
• Capital - Varanasi
• Kashi was eventually captured by Kosala

4.  Vajji

• North of River Ganga in the division of Tirhut
• Confederacy of 8 or 9 clans of which Lichchhavis (capital - Vaishali), Videhans (Capital - Mithila), Jnatrikas (based in Kundapura) and Vajjis (Capital - Vaishali) are important
• Capital - Vaishali
• Vardhamana Mahavira belonged to Jnatrikas clan 
• Important ruler - Chetaka, brother of Trishala (mother of Mahavira) & father of Chellana (wife of Magadha king Bimbisara)
• Vajjis were defeated and assimilated in the Magadha empire by Ajatshatru

5.  Mallas

• Capital - Kushinara and Pava
• Gautam Buddha took her last breath in Malla Mahajanapada

6.  Chedi

• Eastern part of Bundelkhand in Central India
• Capital - Shuktimati or Sotthivatinagar

7.  Vatsa 

• On the bank of Yamuna
• Capital - Kaushambi
• Vatsa was known for its fine cotton textiles

8.  Kuru

• Western UP
• Capital - Indraprastha

9.  Panchala

• Western UP
• Capital - Ahichchhatra (Modern Bareilly, Northern Capital) & Kampilya (Modern Farukkhabad, Southern Capital)
• Famous city Kannauj was situated Panchal Mahajanapada

10. Matsya

• Jaipur, Alwar and Bharatpur area of Rajasthan
• Capital - Viratnagar (Modern Bairat)

11. Shaurasena 

• Capital - Mathura

12. Avanti

• Central Malwa
• Capital - Ujjain (Northern Capital) & Mahishmati (Southern Capital)
• Famous ruler - Pradyota, Father-in-law of Udayana

13. Gandhara

• Modern Peshawar and Rawalpindi, Pakistan and Kashmir Valley
• Capital - Taxila (Major centre for trade and learning)

14. Kamboja

• Rajori and Hajara (Kashmir) and NWFP of Pakistan
• Capital - Pooncha

15. Asmaka

• Located on the banks of Godavari River, between the Rivers Godavari and Manjira
• Capital - Potali
• Only Mahajanapada situated to the south of Vindhya Range and was in Dakshinapatha.

16. Magadha

• Modern Patna and Gaya
• Capital - Rajagriha or Girivraja
• Emerged as the strongest Mahajanapada

The initial history of these Mahajanapadas can be traced from Buddhist and Jain books like Anguttar Nikaya and Mahavastu of Buddhism and Bhagwati Sutra of Jainism.

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Next Article - Rise of Magadha

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