Sixteen Mahajanpadas of Ancient India
In this article, we have discussed Mahajanpadas of Ancient India.
In the 6th century BC, ancient India had a number of kingdoms that emerged during the Vedic Age.
How many Mahajanapadas existed in ancient India?
There were 16 mahajanapadas or kingdoms which are mentioned in the ancient literature and scriptures.
Sources of 16 (Sixteen) Mahajanapadas
- Anguttara Nikaya, Mahavastu (Buddhist Literature)
- Bhagavati Sutta (Jain Literature)
It must be noted here that these sixteen mahajanapadas were in existence before the rise of Buddhism in India. The sixteen Mahajanapadas details are given here for easy reference.
What are the features of mahajanapadas?
Anga (अंग)
- Its Capital was Champa
- It was a prosperous business centre
- It was located in present day Munger and Bhagalpur
- This Mahajanapada was mentioned in the Atharva Veda and the Mahabharata’
- During the rule of Bimbisara, it was taken over by Magadha Empire.
Magadha (मगध)
- The first capital was Rajagriha and the later capital was Pataliputra.
- It was located in present day Patna, Gaya and Nalanda Districts of Bihar
- Magadha finds mention in the Atharva Veda which conveys that Magadha was semi-Brahmanical habitation
- Later, Magadha became a centre of Jainism and the first Buddhist Council was held in Rajagriha.
Vatsa
Capital: Kausambi
Modern Day Location: Allahabad and Mirzapur
Important Facts:
- Vatsa is also known as Vamsa
- Followed the monarchical form of governance.
- Its Capital was Kausambi.
- Central city for economic activities.
- Most important ruler of this kingdom was King Udayan
- After the rise of Buddha, the ruler Udayan made Buddhism a state religion.
Kashi / Kasi (काशी)
Capital: Kasi
Modern Day Location: Banaras (Benaras) / Varanasi
Important Facts:
- It was located in Varanasi.
- This city got its name from rivers Varuna and Asi as cited in the Matsya Purana.
- Though many battles were fought against the Kosala kingdom, eventually Kashi was merged with the Kosala kingdom.
Kosala (कोसाला)
Capital: Shravasti
Modern Day Location: Eastern UP
Important Facts:
- Its capital was Shravasti which is identical with Sahet-Mahet but Ayodhya was an important town in Kosala.
- It was located in modern Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh.
- Covered modern day districts of Faziabad, Gonda, Bahraich of eastern Uttar Pradesh
- Kosala also included the tribal Republican territory of Sakyas of Kapilvastu
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Vajji (वज्जी)
Capital: Vaishali
Modern Day Location: Muzaffarpur and Vaishali
Important Facts:
- Vajji was the seat of a united republic of eight smaller kingdoms of which Lichchavis, Janatriks and Videhas were also members.
- Its Capital was Vaishali which is believed to be the world’s first republic
Kuru (कुरु)
Capital: Indraprastha
Modern Day Location: Thaneswar, Meerut and present-day Delhi, Southeastern Haryana
Important Facts:
- The capital city was Indraprastha.
- The area around Kurukshetra was apparently the site for Kuru Mahajanapada.
Panchala (पांचाल)
- Its capital was at Kampila. (Ahichchatra and Kampliya)
- Earlier a monarch state, it later became an independent republic.
- Kannauj was an important town in this kingdom.
- It was situated in present-day western Uttar Pradesh.
Matsya (मत्स्य)
- Its capital was Viratanagar.
- It is situated around present day Jaipur.
- Present day location is Alwar, Bharatpur and Jaipur
Ashmaka (अश्माका)
- (Between Narmada and Godavari)
- Its capital was at Pertaii
- Brahamdatta was its most important ruler.
Gandhara (Peshawar and Rawalpindi) – Its capital Taxila was important as a trade and
education center (Ancient Taxila university) during the later Vedic age.
Kamboj (कंबोज)
- Its capital was Poonch
- Hazara was an important trade and commerce centre of this kingdom.
- It is situated in present-day Kashmir and Hindukush (Rawalpindi Pakistan).
Avanti (अवंती)
- Its Capital was Ujjain and Mahishmati
- Avanti was divided into two parts north and south.
- The northern part had its capital at Ujjain and the southern part had its capital at Mahishmati
.
Chedi (चेदी)
- Shaktimati was the capital of Chedi.
- Chedi kingdom was spread between Yamuna and Narmada rivers.
- Covered present day Bundelkhand region.
- One of the families from this kingdom later merged into the Kalinga kingdom from this royal family.
Sursena (सुरसेना)
- Sursena capital was at Mathura
- Its present day location was Brajmandal, Mathura, Western UP
- Its most famous ruler was Avantiputra.
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List of Mahajanpadas of Ancient India – Summary Notes
| Mahajanapadas | Capital | Present Day Location |
| Anga | Champa | – Modern day districts of Munger and Bhagalpur in Bihar. – Finds mention in the Atharva Veda and the Mahabharata’ |
| Magadha | Rajgriha (Earlier) Patliputra (Later) | – Covered the Modern day districts of Patna, Gaya, and Nalanda. – Finds mention in the Atharva Veda |
| Malla | Kusinara and Pawa | – Covered the modern districts of Deoria, Basti, Gorakhpur and Siddarthnagar in eastern UP. |
| Vajji | Vaishali | – Muzaffarpur and Vaishali Situated north of the river Ganga in Bihar. – Believed to be the world’s first republic |
| Kosala | Sravasti | – Modern Awadh region of Uttar PradeshCovered modern day- Faziabad, Gonda, Bahraich of eastern Uttar Pradesh. |
| Kashi | Varanasi / Benaras | – Located in the region around modern day Varanasi / Banaras |
| Chedi | Shuktimati | – Covered present day Bundelkhand region |
| Kuru | Indraprastha | – Thaneswar, Meerut and present-day Delhi, Southeastern Haryana. |
| Vatsa | Kausambi | – Covered modern districts Allahabad, Mirzapur. |
| Panchala | Ahichhatra (UttaraPanchala) Kampilya (DakshinaPanchala) | – Covered the area of present western UP up to the east of river Yamuna up to Kosala janapada. |
| Matsya | Viratanagar | – Covered the areas of Alwar, Bhartpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan. |
| Sursena | Mathura | – Covered the area around Brajmandal, Mathura, Western UP |
| Avanti | Ujjaini and Mahishmati | – Covered the western India (modern Malawa). |
| Ashmaka | Potana | – Situated in the southern part of the India between the rivers Narmada and Godavari. |
| Kamboja | Poonch (Rajapura in modern-day Kashmir) | – Situated in present-day Kashmir and Hindukush (Hazra district of Pakistan) |
| Gandhara | Taxila | – Covered the western part of Pakistan (Rawalpindi) and eastern Afghanistan. |
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