Anga

Anga state is one of the ancient places of India. It is one of the great 16 nations which is mentioned under Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya. First Anga’s presence was discovered by Atharva Veda. Here along with Anga, many other state people are given importance like Magadhas, Mujavats and Gandharis. According to Jaina Prajnapana, Aryan people’s first group are Vangas and Angas. According to the ancient history of India Anga was one of the important parts for trading and commercial purposes. Merchants also regularly used to travel long distances for the same reason. During the time of Bimbisara Anga was in control of Magadha.

In detail about Anga as Kingdom

• Anga kingdom was part of Eastern India. King Romapada was the leader of the Anga Kingdom
• Kosala King and Anga king were friends when Romapada was childless, the Kosala Princess chose to live as the daughter of Rompada, her name was Santha
• According to many mythological facts, Duryodhan made Karna the king of Anga. It is also believed that Anga had many rulers before Karna became king of it
• Champuri is known as the capital of Anga. Jarasandh who was king of Magadha which is part of Bihar gifted a city named Malinipuri to Karna
• There are 5 eastern kingdoms that share a common ancestry.  These 5 eastern Kingdoms are :

Anga– Presently situated in Bihar’s eastern side, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

Vanga– Presently known as the southern side of West Bengal and also Bangladesh.

Kalinga– Presently Orissa

Pundra– West Bengal of India and Northern Bangladesh

Suhma– West Bengal and North West of Bangladesh

Origin of Anga with other 4 states

• Vali, one of the kings, who had no child, decided to pray to the lord near the Ganga River
• After some time Dirgatamas old sage who was homeless after his wife and sons cast him away approached Vali
• Vali with kindness took him to his kingdom. Later king vali sent Sudeshna, who was his wife to him, to the sage. But the queen knew that he is not having good eyesight and he is old as well so she sent a nurse to him. When that Nurse Sudra went to Rishi she was blessed with Eleven children from which Kakshivat was the first child
• Kakshivat who knew all types of Vedas was approached by King Vali and he asked if these kids are of him but Rishi said no
• After revealing the real identity of those children that they are Sudra women, the King sent Sudeshna to Rishi. Without even touching Rishi said her children will be named Anga, Kalinga, Vanga, Suhma and Pundra
• As per mythology, the Anga kingdom had the most powerful King named Karna who also was king of Banga too

Magadha and Anga friendship

• After knowing the potential and fame of King Karna, the Magadha king Jarasandh was impressed and challenged Karna
• It was a wrestling match and he knew how to beat the Magadha king and defeated him in the match
• After becoming a friend of Karna, Jarasandha chooses to give a town called Malini to Karna. And now the Anga kingdom is expanded to more levels

Some Mixed Facts

• According to Ramayana, Lord Shiva has killed Kamadeva to death by burning him
• Some other texts show that Anga was a Prince who was the founder of this kingdom
• After 500 BC the Anga kingdom was established by the Bimbisara who killed the last king of Anga called Brahmadatta
• Some believe that this state was established because Mixed Origin people used to live here

Conclusion

The history of India is having so much to reveal about the Kingdom Anga still and there are many unmatched stories of Anga right now there is no real existence of the kingdom as well but the historians are still finding the scripts and other proofs to get to know about Anga where many unknown histories are linked. But one reality is still that it is one of the centers for trading and commerce.

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