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Mahajanapadas is the Sanskrit word which is derived from two words maha and janapada and it means great realm (zone) and came up during the age of Vedas (Vedic Age). It was established in 600 BCE and disestablished in 345 BCE with two types of government; Monarchies and Republic. Prakritis, Sanskrit and Pali were the common languages of Mahajanapadas. It was the period during which the movements of sramana increased. The ganatantras and monarchy were the two types or forms of mahajanapadas. Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddhist text mentioned significantly about the sixteen types of mahajanapadas started from northwest Gandhara to India’s east Anga and also included the region of trans-Vindhyan prior to Buddhism’s rise in the country India. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar development in east and west respectively is the history behind Mahajanapadas emergence because of iron ore as well as fertile land availability from the 4th to 6th century. The Mahajanapadas were regarded as the 2nd urbanisation of the Vedic Age as the first was the Harappan Civilisation.

Types of Mahajanapadas

There were 16 types of Mahajanapadas and they are as follows;

  1. Kasi: Banaras was its current location and Kosala captured it. This is the place from Asi and Yamuna river got its name Kasi or Kashi.
  2. Anga: Champa was the capital of Anga which was present at the junction of rivers Champa and Ganga. Its modern or current Location is Bhagalpur and Munger and presently it is situated in West Bengal and Bihar. Atharva Veda and Mahabharat described this mahajanapada.
  3. Magadha: Rajagriha or Girivraja was the capital of Magadha where 1st Council of Buddhism was held and its current location is Patna. It was first mentioned or described in Atharva Veda. It later became the Jainism centre.
  4. Vatsa: Kaushambi was the capital of Vatsa which was present at the junction of rivers Yamuna and Ganga with its current location in Allahabad. The other name of Vatsa is Vamsa which was located on Yamuna river banks and followed the monarchy government form. It was famous for its economic activities and was regarded as the centre of these activities.
  5. Kosala: Kushavati in South and Shravasti in North were its capital and is currently located in east Uttar Pradesh in its Awadh region. Prasenajit was its important and significant king. It also included the important city Ayodhya as well as Gautama Buddha’s birth place Lumbini, Kapilavastu.
  6. Shurasena: Mathura was the capital of Shurasena which was located on the Yamuna river banks with its current location in west Uttar Pradesh and was regarded as the centre for worship of Lord Krishna during Megasthenes’s time. Awantipura was its important and significant king.
  7. Panchala: Kampilya and Ahichchatra were the capital of Panchala along with its current location in west Uttar Pradesh. The city Kannauj was established in Panchala Kingdom.
  8. Kuru: Indraprastha was its capital with its modern or current location in southwest Haryana as well as Meerut. Mahabharat explained about the conflict between its two branches of reign.
  9. Matsya: Viratanagara (Bairat) was the capital of Matsya with its current location in Rajasthan areas of Jaipur, Bharatpur and Alwar. Virata was its founder.
  10. Chedi: Sothivati/Sotthivatinagara/Shuktimati was the capital of Chedi along with its current location in the region of Bundelkhand and was summoned in Rigveda. Shishupala was its king.
  11. Avanti: Mahishmati in South or Ujjaini in North were the capital of Avanti with its current location in Madhya Pradesh and Malwa. Pradyot was its important and significant king who was Udayana’s father-in-law.
  12. Gandhara: Taxila was the capital of Gandhara with Rawalpindi and Peshawar (modern) in Pakistan as its current location. It was described in Atharva Veda and the people of this kingdom were known for the art of the war. Pushkarasarin was its important and significant king. It was well known for its commercial activities (international).
  13. Kamboja: The capital of Kamboja was Poonch with its current location in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan as well as Hajra and Rajouri of Kashmir. It had excellent and significant horse breeds and followed a republic government.
  14. Assaka or Asmaka: Podana/Potli was the capital of Assaka with its current or modern location on Godavari river banks. It was the only kingdom of Mahajanapada which was situated in Dakshinapatha and to Vindhya Range in south. Paithan or Pratisthan regions were its part.
  15. Vajji: Vaishali was the capital of Vajji and was currently located in Bihar and included 8 descendants or clans in which Lichchhavis was very powerful. Ajatashatru defeated Mahajanapada.
  16. Malla: Pava and Kusinara were the capital of Malla and they had great importance in Buddhism as Lord Buddha had his last meal in Pava. It was currently located in Uttar Pradesh and Deoria and followed republican form of government.

Conclusion:

The Mahajanapadas was the 2nd urbanisation kingdom which were of 16 types and it included Vajji, Malla, Kuru, Kamboja, Anga, Vatsa, Gandhara, Matsya, Kashi, Anti, Shursena and Chedi. The two types of mahajanapadas were republic and monarchy. Vajji, Malla, Kuru and Kamboja were the ganatantras (republic) states while all other states Anga, Vatsa, Gandhara, Matsya, Kashi, Anti, Shursena and Chedi had monarchy governments.