16 Mahajanapadas Names and their Details

Mahajanapadas    

16 Mahajanapadas Capital

Significance

Anga

Champa 

• Anga Mahajanapada is mentioned in both the Mahabharata and the Atharva Veda
• Under the reign of Bimbisara, the Magadha Empire captured it
• It can be found in Bihar and West Bengal nowadays
• Champa, the state capital, was situated at the confluence of the Ganga and Champa rivers.
• Merchants travelled from here to Suvarnabhumi, which was a major commerce hub on the routes (South East Asia).

Magadha 

Rajagriha 

• Magadha is mentioned in the Atharva Veda
• It was separated from Anga in modern-day Bihar by the Champa River
• Magadha later became a Jain centre, and Rajagriha was the site of the first Buddhist Council.

Kasi 

Kasi 

• The location was Varanasi
• This city was called after the rivers Varuna and Asi, according to the Matsya Purana
• Kasi was caught by Kosala.

Vatsa

Kaushambi 

• Vatsa is also known as Vamsa
• Located on the banks of the Yamuna
• The Mahajanapada was ruled by a monarchical system
• The capital was Kausambi/Kaushambi (which was at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna)
• This was a significant commercial centre
• Trade and commerce prospered throughout the sixth century
• The emperor Udayana adopted Buddhism as the state religion after Buddha’s ascent.

Kosala 

Shravasti (northern)

Kushavati (southern)

• It was in the modern Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh.
• The region also included Ayodhya, an important city associated with the Ramayana
• The tribal republican area of Kapilavastu’s Sakyas is also included in Kosala
• Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini’s Kapilavastu
• Prasenajit was a powerful ruler during Buddha’s lifetime.

Shurasena 

Mathura 

• This place was a centre of Krishna worship during Megasthenes’ time
• The Buddha’s disciples also wielded sway
• Awantipura is a mighty king (Disciple of Buddha)
• Its capital, Mathura, was situated on the Yamuna’s banks.

Panchala 

Ahichchhatra and Kampilya

• Its northern Panchala capital was Ahichchatra (modern Bareilly), and its southern Panchala capital was Kampilya (modern Farrukhabad)
• The famous city of Kannauj was located in the Kingdom of Panchala
• The government then converted from a monarchy to a republic.

Kuru 

Indraprastha 

• Kuru Mahajanapada was most likely born in the Kurukshetra area
• It switched to a Republican administration
• A fight between two branches of the ruling Kuru clan is described in the Mahabharata, an epic poem.

Matsya 

Viratanagara

• It was located between the Panchalas and the Kurus, to the west of the Panchalas and to the south of the Kurus
• The capital of Viratanagara was Viratanagara (modern Bairat)
• Jaipur, Alwar, and Bharatpur are all in the Rajasthan area
• Virata is the founder.

Chedi 

Sothivathi 

• In the Rigveda, this is referenced
• The capital was Sothivati/Shuktimati/Sotthivatinagara
• It is presently in the Bundelkhand region (Central India)
• The King is Shishupala. Vasudeva Krishna assassinated Pandava ruler Yudhishthira during the Rajasuya sacrifice.

Avanti 

Ujjaini or Mahishmati

• Avanti was a pivotal figure in the birth of Buddhism
• Ujjaini (northern region) and Mahishmati were the capitals of Avanti (southern part)
• It was in the present-day states of Malwa, and Madhya Pradesh
• Pradyota was a strong ruler.

Gandhara

Taxila 

• The capital of Taxila was Taxila (Takshashila)
• Pakistan’s modern Peshawar and Rawalpindi, as well as the Kashmir valley
• Gandhara is mentioned in the Atharva Veda
• The people were well-versed in fighting techniques
• In terms of international trade, it was significant
• Pushkarasarin is a formidable ruler
• The Persians conquered Gandhara in the late sixth century BCE.

Kamboja 

Poonch 

• Kamboja’s capital was Poonch
• It is found in the Hindukush and Kashmir today
• According to numerous literary sources, Kamboja was a republic
• The horse breed of Kambojas was remarkable.

Asmara

Postal/Podana

• It was on the Godavari’s banks
• It was Dakshinapatha’s only Mahajanapada, located south of the Vindhya Range
• The Pratisthan or Paithan region is included.

Vajji 

Vaishali 

• The Vajjis dominated the Tirhut section of the state north of the Ganga
• The Lichchhavis (Capital – Vaishali), Videhans (Capital – Mithila), and Jnatrikas were the most powerful clans (based in Kundapura)
• Mahavira belonged to the Jnatrikas family
• The Vajjis were defeated by Ajatashatru.

Malla 

Kusinara 

• The Mahabharata, as well as Buddhist and Jain scriptures, reference it
• Malla was a republic with a democratic government
• Its area stretched to the northern border of the Vajji state
• The capitals are Kusinara and Pava
• In Buddhist history, both capitals are noteworthy. Before entering Mahaparinirvana in Kusinara, the Buddha ate his farewell supper at Pava.