List Of Ancient Janapadas And Mahajanpadas

India’s Vedic era Janapadas were territories, ganapada, and kingdoms on the Indian subcontinent during this period (saamarajya). The Vedic period encompasses the late Bronze Age to the Iron Age from roughly 1500 BCE to the 6th century BCE. When sixteen Mahajanapadas (“big janapadas”) rose to prominence in the region, most of the republics lost their independence.

The Vedic Samhitas employ the term “Jana” to indicate a group of people who have a shared belief in a common progenitor. The janas were ruled by a king. The samiti, made up of Jana members, held the ability to elect or dethrone the monarch. Sabha, a smaller group of knowledgeable elders, gave advice to the monarch.

Mahajanpadas

Sixteen republics known as the Mahjanapadas existed in ancient India during the second urbanisation era, from the sixth to the fourth century BCE. Maha means big, and janapada means footing of a people.

Two of the Mahjanapadas may have been ganatantras, while the others were monarchies.. Anguttara Nikaya, an ancient Buddhist text, mentions sixteen different large kingdoms and states that thrived over the Indian subcontinent, from Gandhara in the northwestern corner to Anga in the easternmost part. Prior to Buddhism’s advent in India, some of the trans-Vindhyan area was included.

List of Janpadas and Mahajanpadas:

1. Kashi                                                       9. Kuru
2. Kosala                                                   10. Panchala
3. Magadha                                              11. Matsya
4. Anga                                                      12. Assaka
5. Malla                                                     13. Avanti
6. Vajji                                                        14. Surasena
7. Vatsa                                                      15. Gandhara
8. Chedi                                                      16. Kamboja

Economic changes and the consequent socio-political development

New socio-political developments occurred in the Mahajanapadas, which were separated into geographical zones. There are seven of them, and that’s significant. Anga, Magadha, Vajji, and Malla are all of them, too. In the middle of the Gangetic Valley, the Vatsa were a group of people. A rice-growing area, the upper Gangetic Valley produces wheat. In India’s agricultural system, rice output has been shown to outpace wheat production in the old method of doing things. In addition, the population density was greater. Those living in the Mahajanapadas, like as Magadha, had easy access to fresh water. Access to vital resources such as metal ores, for example, is a requirement.

It is possible that the emergence of the middle Gangetic Valley as a political and economic hotspot is connected to these factors. Having so many Mahajanapadas near together in this area, an ambitious monarch may strive to conquer wealthier neighbouring regions. Keeping an eye on a neighbouring region would be a lot easier as well. Mahajanapadas in Punjab or Malwa had to cross empty geographic zones before they came across any prosperous territory. Because of the flat terrain and near proximity of villages, a king in the heart of the Gangetic Valley had a better chance of solidifying his power. Magadha, one of the zone’s most powerful kingdoms, rose to prominence in the next period as a result.

State System Of 600 B.C.

Aristocratic aristocracy was the only type of republic to exist. After that, they were individually cut in half. The two types of republics and aristocracies were federal and unitary. A city-republic was a republican state with a single government, whereas a state-republic was one with several government structures.

The heads of joint families possessed this power in certain states, while Kshatriya households had it in others, and all adult males in the population had it in still others.

The elected members of all the state’s local assemblies decide on issues that affect the entire state in some states, but in others, the rights to rule the entire state are given to an elected central assembly and government.

Conclusion:

The demise of the Mahajanapadas was mostly caused by the Magadhan dynasty’s absorption of the clans, which completely destroyed their unique histories. This neo-Vedic tribe is only mentioned in literature, poetry, and even the Brahmin Puranas. As the population grew, so did their plans for growth. It was through this union that they became Mahajanapadas. A Mahajanapada may contain the king, minister, council of ministers, country, barricaded city, treasury, military and warfare, and allies.