How many Mahajanapadas are there?
The Vyākhyāprajñapti (or the Bhagavati Sutra ), a sutra of Jainism, gives a different list of sixteen Mahajanapadas: 1 Anga 2 Banga (Vanga) 3 Magadha 4 Malaya 5 Malavaka 6 Accha 7 Vaccha 8 Kochcha 9 Padha 10 Ladha ( Radh or Lata) 11 Bajji (Vajji) 12 Moli (Malla) 13 Kasi 14 Kosala 15 Avaha 16 Sambhuttara
How many Mahajanapadas were there in India in 600 BC?
With the development of iron in parts of UP and Bihar, the Janapadas became more powerful and turned into Mahajanapadas. There were sixteen such Mahajanapadas during 600 B.C. to 325 B.C. in Indian Sub-continent.
Which is the only Mahajanapada situated south of the Vindhya Range?
It was the only Mahajanapada situated to the south of the Vindhya Range and was in Dakshinapatha. It included the region of Pratisthan or Paithan. North of Ganga in the division of Tirhut was the state of the Vajjis.
Which type of government was followed in Mahajanapadas?
In Monarchical Mahajanapadas, the state was ruled by the hereditary king or chieftain. Here, the rulers gave importance to brahmanas and vedic sacrifices. In Mahajanapadas such as Kosala and Magadha, monarchical type of government was followed.
Which Mahajanapada is located in Bihar?
Anga Mahajanapada finds reference in the Mahabharata and Atharva Veda. During the rule of Bimbisara, it was taken over by Magadha Empire. It is situated in present-day Bihar and West Bengal.Dec 24, 2019
How many Mahajanapada are there?
16 MahajanapadasDetailed Solution. The total 16 Mahajanapadas are - Kashi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machcha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.
Which is the only Mahajanapada in South India?
The correct answer is Narmada and Godavari. Assaka or Asmaka was a Mahajanapada according to Buddhist texts or Janapada according to Puranas of ancient India. Asmaka Mahajanapadas situated in the southern part of India between the rivers Narmada and Godavari.
Which is the strongest Mahajanapada?
Kashi. The kingdom was located in the region around its capital Varanasi, bounded by the Varuna and Asi rivers in the north and south which gave Varanasi its name. Before Buddha, Kasi was the most powerful of the sixteen Mahajanapadas.
What do you mean by 16 Mahajanapadas?
The places where people placed their foot or where the tribe placed its foothold came to be known as Janapada. Such Janapadas were known according to the tribes that had settled there. Some of these Janapadas combined together to form the Mahajanapadas. There were 16 such Mahajanapadas in the Indian subcontinent.
Which Mahajanapada Gautama Buddha died?
MallaMalla and other Mahajanapadas in the Post Vedic period. Malla was an ancient Indian republic (Gaṇa sangha) that constituted one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms) of ancient India. The republic is notable for being the chosen death place of Gautama Buddha at Kushinagar.
What does janapadas mean?
The Janapadas (pronounced [dʑɐnɐpɐdɐ]) (1100–500 BCE) were the realms, republics (ganapada) and kingdoms (saamarajya) of the Vedic period on the Indian subcontinent. The Vedic period reaches from the late Bronze Age into the Iron Age: from about 1500 BCE to the 6th century BCE.
What are Mahajanapadas for Class 6?
Answer: Monarchical Mahajanapadas were those places where the head of the kingdom, or the king, was hereditary. They were sixteen in number. Magadha, Koshala, Avanti, etc., were some of the important monarchical mahajanapadas.
What were the 16 Mahajanapadas?
The 16 Mahajanapadas were Anga, Magadha, Kosala, Kasi, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Avanti, Surasena, Asmaka, Gandhara and K...
Which Buddhist texts mention the 16 Mahajanapadas?
Anguttara Nikaya (a part of Sutta Pitaka) and Mahavastu are the two Buddhist texts which list down the 16 Mahajanapadas. However in Mahavastu, the...
Which was the most powerful Mahajanapada state?
Kasi/Kashi was the most powerful Mahajanapada state of the sixth century BC. Varanasi was the capital city of Kasi and it was located at the conflu...
What do you mean by Republican Mahajanapadas?
In the republican or oligarchy Mahajanapadas, the king was elected from the group of Rajas who were known for their fighting ability and he runs th...
What was the capital city of Kosala Mahajanapada?
Sravasti was the capital city of Kosala Mahajanapada. It was one of the six largest cities that existed during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha. It w...
Mahajanapadas
The term Mahajanapada refers to the large Janapadas which were the political units that existed in Indian subcontinent during the Vedic age.
List Of 16 Mahajanapadas
The following 16 Mahajanapadas are mentioned in the Buddist text, Anguttara Nikaya, which is a part of Sutta Pitaka. The capital cities of these Mahajanapadas were fortified strongly.
Political Structure of the Mahajanapadas
The majority of the states were monarchs, but some, known as Ganas or Sanghas, were republics.
What is the name of the kingdom of Vedic India?
The Janapadas were the major kingdoms of Vedic India. During that period, Aryans were the most powerful tribes and were called ‘Janas’. This gave rise to the term Janapada where Jana means ‘people’ and Pada means ‘foot’.
How many Mahajanapadas were there before Buddhism?
List of 16 Mahajanapadas that arose before the rise of Buddhism in India: The list below provides you with the names of 16 Mahajanapadas: In the course of time, smaller or weak kingdoms, and the republics were eliminated by the stronger rulers. Vajji and Malla were Gana-Sanghas.
How many kingdoms were there in the Mahajanapadas?
The Mahajanapadas were a set of sixteen kingdoms that existed in ancient India. It all began when the tribes (janas) of the late Vedic period decided to form their own territorial communities, which eventually gave rise to new and permanent areas of settlements called ‘states’ or ‘janapadas.
What was the political structure of the Mahajanapadas?
Political Structure of the Mahajanapadas. Most of the states were monarchies but some were republics known as Ganas or Sanghas. These Ganasanghas were oligarchies where the king was elected and he ruled with the help of a council. Vajji was an important Mahajanapada with a Sangha form of government.
When did Mahajanapadas emerge?
They emerged during the Vedic Age. The history of the emergence of Mahajanapadas can be linked to the development of eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar during the 6th to 4th century BCE where agriculture flourished due to the availability of fertile lands and iron production increased due to availability of iron ore in large quantities.
What were the socio-economic developments that led to the rise of the Mahajanapadas?
Socio-economic developments chiefly due to the use of iron tools in agriculture and military, along with religious and political developments led to the rise of the Mahajanapadas from small kingdoms or Janapadas.
What empire took over Bimbisara?
During the rule of Bimbisara, it was taken over by Magadha Empire. It is situated in present-day Bihar and West Bengal. Its capital Champa was located at the confluence of the Ganga and the Champa rivers.
What was the most prosperous kingdom in India?
Magadha was one of the most prosperous kingdoms of ancient India and one of the most prominent ‘mahajanapadas.’ For many years, Pataliputra was the capital of Magadha . The kingdom was bounded by Ganges in the north, river Champa in the east, and river Son in the west. According to ancient texts, Brihadratha was the earliest known ruler of Magadha. The kingdom was also ruled by King Bimbisara, under whom Magadha flourished. Great Indian empires including the famous Maurya Dynasty originated in Magadha. Gautama Buddha spent much of his life in Magadha, hence the region is believed to hold great significance to Buddhists.
Where is Panchala located?
The Panchala kingdom was located east of the Kuru kingdom, between river Ganges and the mountain ranges of the Himalayas. Panchala was divided into two parts, namely Dakshina-Panchala and Uttara-Panchala. While Adhichhatra (present-day Bareilly) served as the capital city of Uttara-Panchala, Kampilya (present-day Farrukhabad) was made the capital of Dakshina-Panchala. Originally a monarchical kingdom, Panchala is believed to have turned into a republican dominion during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Kautiliya’s ‘Arthashastra’ also states that Panchala followed the king consul constitution. The kingdom was later annexed by Mauryan Empire and then by the Gupta Empire.
Why did Mahajanapadas conquer other Mahajanapadas?
Since expansion involved annexing of neighboring states, certain ‘mahajanapadas’ started conquering other ‘janapadas’ in order to extend their kingdoms as per the kingdom’s prosperity and wealth. Early stages of settlement of the tribes happened before the time of the Buddha.
What religion is Mahajanapada?
Religion: Vedic Hinduism. The Mahajanapadas were a set of sixteen kingdoms that existed in ancient India. It all began when the tribes (janas) of the late Vedic period decided to form their own territorial communities, which eventually gave rise to new and permanent areas of settlements called ‘states’ or ‘janapadas.’.
What was the period between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE?
The period between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE is considered extremely important in early Indian history as it witnessed the emergence of massive Indian cities, which were built after the fall of the Indus Valley Civilization. These massive Indian cities were home to the 16 great kingdoms described in the ancient texts.
What were the 16 great kingdoms called?
These expansions helped some of these ‘janapadas’ turn into large states or ‘mahajanapadas.’. Most of these ‘mahajanapadas’ were monarchical in nature, while some of them were democratic states. Many prominent ancient Buddhist texts make frequent references to the ‘16 great kingdoms’ (mahajanapadas) that flourished between the sixth and ...
Which kingdom was the most powerful?
The kingdom of Kosala was located close to the kingdom of Magadha. With Ayodhya as its capital, Kosala was bound by river Ganges in the south, river Gandak in the east, and the Himalaya mountains in the north. According to Vedic texts, Kosala was the biggest and most powerful kingdom ever in history.
What are the key points related to the Janapadas and Mahajanapadas?
The key points related to the Janapadas and the Mahajanapadas are as following: 1. The Janapadas were the major kingdoms of Vedic India. 2. Aryans were the most influential tribes and were called as ‘janas’. This gave rise to the term Janapada where Jana means ‘ people’ and Pada means ‘foot’. 3.
What were the two types of states in the sixth century BCE?
There were sixteen such Mahajanapadas during 600 B.C. to 325 B.C. in Indian Sub-continent. There were two types of states: Monarchical and Republican.
How many Janapadas were there?
The Janapadas were the major kingdoms of Vedic India. By the 6th century B.C. there were approximately 22 different Janapadas. With the development of iron in parts of UP and Bihar, the Janapadas became more powerful and turned into Mahajanapadas.
Which city was covered by Magadha?
Magadha. Earlier Rajgriha, later Patliputra. Covered the modern districts of Patna, Gaya, and parts of Shahabad. Malla. Capitals at Kusinara and Pawa. Covered the modern districts of Deoria, Basti, Gorakhpur and Siddarthnagar in eastern UP. Vajji. Vaishali. Situated north of the river Ganga in Bihar.
What is the significance of the Janapadas and Mahajanapadas?
The processes of emergence of Mahajanpadas were initiated by certain important economic changes and the consequent socio-political developments witnessed during the period .
What is the history of the Janapadas?
List of Ancient Janapadas and Mahajanapadas. The Janapadas and Mahajanapadas represent the state system of 600BC. The processes of emergence of Mahajanpadas were initiated by certain important economic changes and the consequent socio-political developments witnessed during the period.
Which city was covered by Magadha?
Magadha. Earlier Rajgriha, later Patliputra. Covered the modern districts of Patna, Gaya, and parts of Shahabad. Malla. Capitals at Kusinara and Pawa. Covered the modern districts of Deoria, Basti, Gorakhpur and Siddarthnagar in eastern UP. Vajji. Vaishali. Situated north of the river Ganga in Bihar.
Where is Ashmaka located?
Ashmaka. Potana. Situated in the southern part of the India between the rivers Narmada and Godavari. Kamboja. Capital at Rajapura in modern-day Kashmir. Covered the area of Hindukush (modern Hazara districts of Pakistan) Gandhara. Taxila. Covered the western part of Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan.
Summary
List of Mahajanapadas
The first reference to the Angas is found in the Atharva-Veda where they find mention along with the Magadhas, Gandharis and the Mujavats, apparently as a despised people. The Jaina Prajnapana ranks Angas and Vangas in the first group of Aryan people. It mentions the principal cities of ancient India. It was also a great center of trade and commerce and its merchants regularly sailed to dis…
Overview
The term "Janapada" literally means the foothold of a people. The fact that Janapada is derived from Jana points to an early stage of land-taking by the Jana people for a settled way of life. This process of settlement on land had completed its final stage prior to the times of the Buddha and Pāṇini. The Pre-Buddhist north-west region of the Indian sub-continent was divided into severa…
The period of the Vedas
Brahmarshi-desha, 'the county of the holy sages,' includes the territories of the Kurus, Matsyas, Panchalas and Shurasenas (i.e., the eastern half of the State of Patiala and of the Delhi division of the Punjab, the Alwar State and adjacent territory in Rajputana, the region which lies between the Ganges and the Jumna, and the Muttra District in the United Provinces).
Further reading
• R. C. Majumdar and A. D. Pusalker, eds. The History and Culture of the Indian People. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay 1951.
• Sethna, K. D. (1989). Ancient India in a new light. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan.
• Sethna, K. D. (2000). Problems of ancient India. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan.