Epic India
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the kingdoms as reflected in existing ancient Sanskrit literature. See History of IndiaHistory of IndiaThe history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
for a conventionally historical overview, in particular the articles on the MahajanapadasMahajanapadasMahājanapadas , literally "great realms", were ancient Indian kingdoms or countries...
and the Middle kingdoms of IndiaMiddle kingdoms of IndiaMiddle kingdoms of India refers to the political entities in India from the 3rd century BC after the decline of the Maurya Empire, and the corresponding rise of the Satavahana dynasty, beginning with Simuka, from 230 BC...
for ca. 700 BC–AD 1200.
Epic India is the geography of Greater India
Greater India
Greater India is a term that refers to the historical spread of the culture of India beyond the Indian subcontinent...
traditionally around early 10th century BC and later on from the Sanskrit epics, viz. the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
as well as Puranic
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
literature (the Itihasa
Itihasa
Itihasa as defined by Amarakosha refers to purvavritta, i.e. events of the past. In the Vedic age, those portions of the Brahmanas which narrated events of bygone days were known as itihasa and had some ritualistic importance...
).
Vedic period
The Vedic period was a period in history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. The time span of the period is uncertain. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, was composed roughly between 1700–1100 BCE, also...
Mahajanapadas
Mahajanapadas
Mahājanapadas , literally "great realms", were ancient Indian kingdoms or countries...
(early 1st Millennium BCE) and the subsequent formation of the Maurya Empire
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
(322 BCE), the beginning of the "golden age" of Classical Sanskrit literature.
The boundaries of the kingdoms
Often rivers formed the boundaries of two neighboring kingdoms, as was the case between the northern and southern PanchalaPanchala Kingdom
This article is about the kingdom of Panchala during the epic-ages. For the historical kingdom, see Panchala.Panchala Kingdom extended from Himalayas in the north to river Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. It had Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west and the forest...
and between the western (Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
's Kingdom) and eastern (Kaurava
Kaurava
The term Kaurava is a Sanskrit term, that means the descendants of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahābhārata.The term is used in the Mahābhārata with two meanings:...
's Kingdom) Kuru
Kuru Kingdom
Kuru was the name of an ancient kingdom in Vedic India, and later a republican Mahajanapada state. The kingdom was located in the area of modern Haryana, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh in India. They formed the first political center of the of the Vedic India, with its capital at Hastinapur. It...
. Sometimes, large forests, which were larger than the kingdoms themselves, formed their boundaries as was the case of the Naimisha Forest
Naimisha Forest
Naimisha Forest or Naimiṣāraṇya was an ancient forest mentioned in the epic Mahabharata and the Shiva Purana. It lay on the banks of the Gomati River . It lay between the Panchala Kingdom and the Kosala Kingdom...
between Panchala
Panchala Kingdom
This article is about the kingdom of Panchala during the epic-ages. For the historical kingdom, see Panchala.Panchala Kingdom extended from Himalayas in the north to river Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. It had Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west and the forest...
and Kosala
Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Proper or Uttara Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava and Kusha inherited parts of this kingdom. Lava ruled from the city called Sravasti and Kusa from the...
kingdoms. Mountain ranges like Himalaya, Vindhya and Sahya also formed their boundaries.
The cities and villages
Hastinapura
Hastinapur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Hastinapur was the capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas, belonging to the Kuru dynasty of kings. The throne of this city was the prize over which the Kurukshetra War of the epic...
. Ahichatra
Ahichatra
Ahichatra was the ancient capital of Northern Panchala, a northern Indo-Aryan kingdom mentioned in Mahabharata. The remains of this city has been discovered near Ramnagar village in Aonla tehsil of Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh state. The excavations have brought to life a brick fortification...
was the capital of Northern Panchala where as Kampilya
Kampilya
Kampilya was the Capital of the Panchala Kingdom ruled by Drupada during Mahabharata period. It is mentioned in Mahabharata that when Pandavas were in exile and staying at place called Ekachakra , they came to know that Drupada, King of Panchala, had announced the Swayamvara of his daughter...
was the capital of Southern Panchala. Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Proper or Uttara Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava and Kusha inherited parts of this kingdom. Lava ruled from the city called Sravasti and Kusa from the...
had its capital as Ayodhya. Apart from the main city or capital, where the palace of the ruling king was situated, there were small towns and villages spread in a kingdom. Tax was collected by the officers appointed by the king from these villages and towns. What the king offered in return to these villages and towns was protection from the attack of other kings and robber tribes, as well as from invading foreign nomadic tribes. The king also enforced code and order in his kingdom by punishing the guilty.
Interactions between kingdoms
There was no border security for a kingdom and border disputes were very rare. One king might conduct a military campaign (often designated as Digvijaya meaning victory over all the directions) and defeat another king in a battle, lasting for a day. The defeated king would acknowledge the supremacy of the victorious king. The defeated king might sometimes be asked to give a tribute to the victorious king. Such tribute would be collected only once, not on a periodic basis. The defeated king, in most cases, would be free to rule his own kingdom, without maintaining any contact with the victorious king. There was no annexation of one kingdom by another. Often a military general conducted these campaigns on behalf of his king. A military campaign and tribute collection was often associated with a great sacrifice (like RajasuyaRajasuya
Rajasuya was a sacrifice, described in detail in the Mahabharata, performed by the ancient kings of India who considered themselves powerful enough to be an emperor...
or Ashvamedha
Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha was one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described in detail in the Yajurveda...
) conducted in the kingdom of the campaigning king. The defeated king also was invited to attend these sacrifice ceremonies, as a friend and ally.
New kingdoms
New kingdoms were formed when a major clan produced more than one King in a generation. The Kuru (kingdom) clan of Kings was very successful in governing throughout North India with their numerous kingdoms, which were formed after each successive generation. Similarly, the YadavaYadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
clan of kings formed numerous kingdoms in Central India.
Cultural differences in the kingdoms
Main article Bahlika CultureBahlika Culture
Bahlika Culture was a form of culture that prevailed in ancient India. This culture was linked to the Vedic culture, but with many variations. Often these variations were seen by the people following Vedic culture as deviations and they had a feeling of contempt upon the members of this culture. It...
Western parts of India were dominated by tribes who had a slightly different culture that was considered as non-vedic by the mainstream Vedic culture prevailed in the Kuru
Kuru Kingdom
Kuru was the name of an ancient kingdom in Vedic India, and later a republican Mahajanapada state. The kingdom was located in the area of modern Haryana, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh in India. They formed the first political center of the of the Vedic India, with its capital at Hastinapur. It...
and Panchala
Panchala Kingdom
This article is about the kingdom of Panchala during the epic-ages. For the historical kingdom, see Panchala.Panchala Kingdom extended from Himalayas in the north to river Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. It had Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west and the forest...
kingdoms. Similarly there were some tribes in the eastern regions of India, considered to be in this category. Tribes with non-Vedic culture specially those of barbaric nature were collectively termed as Mlechha. Very little was mentioned in the ancient India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n literature, about the kingdoms to the North, beyond the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. China was mentioned as a kingdom known as Chin
Chin
In the human anatomy, the chin is the lowermost part of the face.It is formed by the lower front of the mandible.People show a wide variety of chin structures. See Cleft chin....
, often grouped with Mlechcha kingdoms.
Main kingdoms of Northern/North-Central India
| Kuru Kingdom Kuru Kingdom Kuru was the name of an ancient kingdom in Vedic India, and later a republican Mahajanapada state. The kingdom was located in the area of modern Haryana, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh in India. They formed the first political center of the of the Vedic India, with its capital at Hastinapur. It... |
Panchala Kingdom Panchala Kingdom This article is about the kingdom of Panchala during the epic-ages. For the historical kingdom, see Panchala.Panchala Kingdom extended from Himalayas in the north to river Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. It had Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west and the forest... |
Vatsa Kingdom Vatsa Kingdom Vatsa was a kingdom situated in the Gangatic plain with Kausambi as its capital, now known as Kosam a small town in Uttar Pradesh. There is an archelological site known as Kosam Ruins in this town which is believed to be the Kausambi of Ancient India.Only a passive mention of this kingdom is... |
Main kingdoms of North-Central India
| Kosala Kingdom Kosala Kingdom Kosala Proper or Uttara Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava and Kusha inherited parts of this kingdom. Lava ruled from the city called Sravasti and Kusa from the... |
Kasi Kingdom | Videha Kingdom Videha Kingdom In the Ramayana, Videha was the kingdom of the royal sage Seeradhwaja Janaka, the father of Sita, Raghava Rama's wife. Rama's brothers married Sita's sisters, so the Videha Kingdom was closely allied to the Kosala Kingdom. Mithila was the capital of Videha, now identified with Janakpur, a town in... |
Dakshina Kosala Kingdom Dakshina Kosala Kingdom Dakshina Kosala or Southern Kosala was a colony of Kosala kings identified to be the Chhattisgarh state and western orissa region of India. Raghava Rama's mother " Kausalya " was from this kingdom.- History :... |
Malla Kingdom Malla Kingdom Malla Kingdom was situated in the Gangatic plain between the Kosala and Videha. The epic Mahabharata speaks about a Malla conquered by the Pandava Bhima during his military campaign through the eastern kingdoms to collect tribute for King Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice.- Bhima's Military Campaign... |
Kingdoms of Western/Central-West India
| Surasena Kingdom Surasena Kingdom Surasena Kingdom was ruled by Yaduvanshi kings as per the epic Mahabharata. It is said to be named after the King Shoorsen. The capital city of this kingdom, Mathura was founded by Shatrughna, the brother of Sri Rama the ruler of Kosala in Treta Yuga. He conquered this region after defeating the... |
Dwaraka Kingdom Dwaraka Kingdom In the Mahabharata, Dvārakā is the capital of the Yadus who ruled the Anarta Kingdom.... |
Anarta Kingdom Anarta Kingdom Anarta was a kingdom of ancient India, roughly forming the northern Gujarat state of India. It was ruled by Yadavas after they fled from Mathura of Surasena Kingdom, due to the attacks of Jarasandha, the king of Magadha. The Yadava chiefs like Vasudeva Krishna, Bala Rama , Kritavarma and Satyaki,... |
Saurashtra Kingdom Saurashtra Kingdom Saurashtra kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by Yadava kings in the central and western India. Other kingdoms in this group include Chedi Kingdom, Dasarna Kingdom, Surasena Kingdom or Vraja Kingdom, Karusha Kingdom, Kunti Kingdom, Avanti Kingdom, Malava Kingdom, Gurjara Kingdom, Anarta... |
Heheya Kingdom Heheya Kingdom Heheya kingdom was one of the many kingdoms ruled by Chandravanshi Kshatriya kings in the central and western India. It was the strongest of the kingdoms and had the powerful ruler Kartavirya Arjuna who even defeated Rakshasa Ravana. Its capital was Mahishmati on the banks of river Narmada in... |
| Nishadha Kingdom Nishadha Kingdom Nishadha was the kingdom of the celebrated king Nala, who loved and married Damayanti the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom. This kingdom is identified with current day Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh... |
Gurjara Kingdom Gurjara Kingdom Gurjara Kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by Lord Krishna in the central and western India.... |
Karusha Kingdom Karusha Kingdom Karusha Kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by Yadava kings in the central and western India.It lies to the south of Chedi. Karusha king Dantavaktra supported Chedi king Sishupala and was killed by Vasudeva Krishna... |
Chedi Kingdom Chedi Kingdom Chedi kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled during early periods by Paurava kings and later by Yaduvanshi Rajput kings in the central and western India. It falls roughly in the Bundelkhand division of Madhya Pradesh regions to the south of river Yamuna and along river Betwa or Vetravati... |
Dasarna Kingdom Dasarna Kingdom Dasarna kingdom was one of the many kingdoms ruled by Yadava kings in medieval central and western India. It lay to the south of the Chedi and Panchala kingdoms, in northern Madhya Pradesh. The Panchala prince Sikhandi married a princess from Dasarna. Sikhandin was alleged to be 'one of the... |
| Kunti Kingdom Kunti Kingdom As per the epic Mahabharata, the Kunti Kingdom was the kingdom of Kuntibhoja, one of the prominent kings among the Bhoja Yadavas.Kunti, the mother of Pandavas and the first wife of Kuru king Pandu, was the adopted daughter of the king Kuntibhoja. Her given name was Pritha and she was a sister of... |
Avanti Kingdom Avanti Kingdom The former Avanti kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by the Yadava kings in the central and western India. Ujjayani was its capital along the river Kshipra, a tributary of river Charmanuati, which itself is a tributary of river Ganges. The Ujjayani of the past is currently known as... |
Malava Kingdom Malava Kingdom Malava kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by the Yadava kings in the central and western India, corresponding to the Malwa region. Sometimes Avanti and Malava were described to be the same country. They were originally a western tribe, in Punjab province of Pakistan. Later they migrated... |
Western kingdoms
| Trigarta Kingdom Trigarta Kingdom Trigarta was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Mahabharata mentions two different Trigarta kingdoms, one in the west close to the Sivi Kingdom and the other north to the Kuru Kingdom. Modern Kangra district is one of the ancient town in North Trigarta, India, extending westward to the... |
Salwa Kingdom Salwa Kingdom Salwa is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. It is close to Madra Kingdom as both are mentioned together in many places. Saubha is its capital. Martikavati also is mentioned as the capital of Salwa kingdom. The famous prince Satyavan was from Salwa... |
Madra Kingdom Madra Kingdom Madra Kingdom was a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. Its capital was Sagala, modern Sialkot . The Kuru king Pandu's second wife was from Madra kingdom and was called Madri. The Pandava twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, were her sons. Madri's brother Shalya was the king... |
Sindhu Kingdom Sindhu Kingdom Sindhu&sandhu was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It stretched along the banks of river Sindhu in the Ancient Greater India, which is now Pakistan. It is believed that Sindhu kingdom was founded by Vrsadarbh, one of sons of Sivi... |
Sauvira Kingdom Sauvira Kingdom Sauvira was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. According to the epic, Jayadratha was the king of Sindhus, Sauviras and Sivis. Probably Sauvira and Sivi were two kingdoms close to the Sindhu kingdom and Jayadratha conquered them. Jayadratha was an ally of Duryodhana and husband of... |
| Sivi Kingdom Sivi Kingdom Sivi is mentioned as a kingdom and as the name of a king in the epic Mahabharata. Probably there was a Sivi king who became famous as Sivi or the kingdom itself may be named after him. Sivi king was famous for his truthfulness... |
Kekeya Kingdom Kekeya Kingdom Kekeya is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. The epic Ramayana also mentions Kekeya as a western kingdom. One of the wives of Dasaratha, the king of Kosala and father of Raghava Rama, was from Kekeya kingdom and was known as Kaikeyi... |
Gandhara Kingdom Gandhara Kingdom Gandhara is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. The epic Ramayana also mentions it as a western kingdom. Gandhara prince Sakuni was the root of all the conspiracies of Duryodhana against the Pandavas, which finally resulted in the Kurukshetra War. Sakuni's sister... |
Youdheya Kingdom Youdheya Kingdom Yodheya was a kingdom that lied close to the kingdom of the Pandavas. They have taken part in the Kurukshetra War, siding with the Kauravas. Pandava king Yudhisthira had a son named Yaudheya. It is not clear if he belonged to the Yaudheya tribe... |
Pahlava Kingdom Pahlava Kingdom Pahlava Kingdom is identified to be a kingdom of an Iranian tribe. The kingdom was well known, even during the campaign of Alexander. It was also mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.- Yudhisthira's Rajasuya :... |
Northwestern kingdoms
| Bahlika Kingdom Bahlika Kingdom All the western Indian kingdoms were known by the general name Bahlika meaning outsider. Thus these people were considered as outsiders of the Vedic culture. However, the name Bahlika is sometimes used to denote a kingdom within the present Punjab, different from Madra, Sindhu, Kekeya, Gandhara or... |
Parama Kamboja Kingdom Parama Kamboja Kingdom Parama Kamboja Kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata to be on the far north west along with the Bahlika, Uttara Madra and Uttara Kuru countries. It is thought to be modern day Tajikistan, a Central Asian Republic... |
Uttara Madra Kingdom Uttara Madra Kingdom Uttara Madra is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. It is identified to be located to the northwest of eastern Madra with Sagala as its capital... |
Uttara Kuru Kingdom Uttara Kuru Kingdom Uttara Kuru was an ancient kingdom located north of the India. The name Uttara Kuru means the Northern Kurus. The Kurus were an Indo-Aryan tribe living near the Himalayas during the Vedic civilization of India. The Uttara Kuru were therefore a population to the north of the Kurus, or north of... |
| Yavana Kingdom Yavana Kingdom Yavana or Yona is grouped under western countries along with Sindhu, Madra, Kekeya, Gandhara and Kamboja as per the descriptions in the epic Mahabharata. In later history, this word was used to indicate the Greeks and the Arabs, leading to much confusion.... |
Khasa Kingdom Khasa Kingdom Khasas were a north western tribe mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. They were probably the modern day Kazakhs found predominantly in Kazakhstan a Central Asian Republic. It is not clear if the Khasas mentioned in Mahabharata were a migrant group from Khasakhstan or original Khasakhs... |
Saka Kingdom Saka Kingdom Sakas were a Mlechcha tribe grouped along with the Yavanas, Tusharas and Barbaras. They were later known as Scythians. They were Soma drinkers, Soma being an intoxicating liquor famous in the land of Devas . There were a group of Sakas called Apa Sakas meaning water dwelling Sakas, probably living... |
Northern kingdoms
| Kasmira Kingdom Kasmira Kingdom Kasmira was a kingdom identified as the Kashmir Valley along the Jhelum River of the modern Jammu and Kashmir state. Possibly, the sage Kashyapa or a descendant of this sage lived here, since the name Kas is derived from the name Kashyapa like the name Caspian of the Caspian Sea. During the epic... |
Kamboja Kingdom | Darada Kingdom Darada Kingdom Daradas were a people who lived north to the Kashmir valley. This kingdom is identified to be the Gilgit region in Kashmir along the river Sindhu or Indus. They are often spoken along with the Kambojas... |
Parada Kingdom Parada Kingdom The Parada Kingdom is an ancient Indian kingdom, described in various surviving Hindu texts, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In Puranic literature, they are also referred to as Varadas and Paritas.... |
Parasika Kingdom Parasika Kingdom Parasikas were a tribe mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.A king named Parasarya is mentioned at two locations in Mahabharata, at 2:4 and at 2:7. It is not clear if he belonged to the Parasikas.... |
| Tushara Kingdom Tushara Kingdom Tusharas were a Mleccha tribe, with their kingdom located in the north west of India as per the epic Mahabharata. An account in Mahabharata depicts Mlechchas as the descendants of Anu, one of the cursed sons of king Yayati. Yayati's eldest son Yadu, gave rise to the Yadavas and youngest son Puru... |
Huna Kingdom Huna Kingdom Hunas were a Chinese tribe close to Himalayas that, because of limited interaction with Indian kingdoms, were mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. They belonged to the Xingjiang province of China, east of Jammu-Kashmir... |
Hara Huna Kingdom Hara Huna Kingdom Hara-Hunas were a Chinese tribe close to Himalayas so that they had limited interaction with Indian kingdoms, thus they were mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.They belonged to the Xinjiang province of China, east of Kashmir... |
Rishika Kingdom Rishika Kingdom Rishikas were originally a tribe north to Himalayas so that they had limited interaction with Indian kingdoms. Thus they got mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. They belonged to the Xinjiang province of China, east of Kashmir... |
|
Eastern kingdoms
| Magadha Kingdom Magadha Kingdom Magadha was a kingdom ruled by non-Vedic kings. Jarasandha was the greatest among them during epic times. His capital was Rajagriha or Rajgir a modern hill resort in Bihar. Jarasandha's continuous assault on the Yadava kingdom of Surasena resulted in their withdrawal from central India to western... |
Kikata Kingdom Kikata Kingdom Kikata was an ancient kingdom mentioned in the Vedas. It is believed that they were the forefathers of Magadhas. It lay to the south of Magadha Kingdom.... |
Anga Kingdom Anga Kingdom Anga was a kingdom ruled by non-Vedic rulers. Anga king Lomapada was a friend of Kosala king Dasaratha. Kosala Princess Santha, elder to Raghava Rama, lived as the daughter of Lomapada, since he was childless. Duryodhana established Karna as the ruler of Angas. It is believed that there were many... |
Pragjyotisha Kingdom Pragjyotisha Kingdom Pragjyotisha was a mythological kingdom first mentioned in the Hindu epics and later Hindu literature. According to later versions of the epic, King Bhagadatta ruled the kingdom during the time of the Kurukshetra War where he met his death. In historical times, it came to be named as the Kamarupa... |
Sonita Kingdom Sonita Kingdom Sonita was the country of Asura king Bana or Vana. His daughter Usha married Vasudeva Krishna's son Pradyumna. This kingdom is identified to be the Sonitpur district of Assam.- References in Mahabharata:... |
| Lauhitya Kingdom Lauhitya Kingdom In Indian mythology, Lauhitya was the eastern-most country known to the people of the epic-age . This kingdom existed on the banks of river Brahmaputra known by the name Lauhitya during the epic-age. Bhargava Rama is believed to have visited this place... |
Pundra Kingdom Pundra Kingdom Pundra was an eastern kingdom located in West Bengal, Bangladesh and Purnia . A Pundra king challenged Vasudeva Krishna by imitating his attributes. He called himself Paundraka Vasudeva. He was later killed by Vasudeva Krishna in a battle... |
Suhma Kingdom Suhma Kingdom Suhma was an eastern kingdom located in regions now occupied by West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata along with its neighbouring kingdom Prasuhma, which was in the present day Bangladesh... |
Vanga Kingdom Vanga Kingdom Vanga orBengal was a kingdom located in the eastern part of the Indian Subcontinent, comprising part of West Bengal, India and present-day modern Bangladesh. It was a seafaring nation of Ancient India.- References in Mahabharata :... |
Odra Kingdom Odra Kingdom Odra was a country located in the northern Orissa. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Odras were neighbours to the Vangas. It is believed that the Oriya language and the state Orissa got their names derived from the name "Odra".... |
| Utkala Kingdom Utkala Kingdom Utkala Kingdom was located in the northern and eastern portion of the modern-day Indian state of Orissa. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, with the names Utkala, Utpala, Okkal and Odra desha... |
Kingdoms just South of the Vindhya Range
| Vidarbha Kingdom Vidarbha Kingdom Vidarbha kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by Yadava kings in the central and western India, in a region still known as Vidarbha. It was the southern most kingdom known to the kings of Gangatic Plain until they explored Southern India.Damayanti, the wife of Nala was the princess of... |
Anupa Kingdom Anupa Kingdom Anupa was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It lay to the north west of Vidarbha, in Maharashtra state of India. It was founded by the races from the western kingdoms like Madra and Kamboja... |
Surparaka Kingdom Surparaka Kingdom The country of Surparaka was founded by Bhargava Rama near the Western sea, close to the mouth of river Narmada. This kingdom is mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Parashurama gave this kingdom to the Brahmin rulers of Kashyapa clan.... |
Nasikya Kingdom Nasikya Kingdom Nasikya was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. During the time of Ramayana this place was a forest and was known as Panchavati. It was here that Raghava Rama, Lakshmana and Sita spent their period of exile from their kingdom Kosala into the woods.... |
| Konkana Kingdom Konkana Kingdom Konkana was a southern kingdom populated by Brahmins during and after the period of Puranas. This kingdom is identified to be the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Other such Brahmin populated kingdoms includes Dravida, Andhra and Karnata... |
Asmaka Kingdom Asmaka Kingdom Asmaka was a kingdom among the 16 Mahajanapadas mentioned in the Buddhist texts. All other kingdoms were in the north, from Vanga to Gandhara. Some believes that Asmaka was a colony of the Kambojas, and its earlier name was Aswaka... |
Danda Kingdom Danda Kingdom Danda was a colonial state of Lanka under the reign of Ravana. Ravana's governor Khara ruled this province. It was the stronghold of all the Rakshasa tribes living in the Dandaka Forest. It is roughly the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra with Janasthana as its capital... |
Kalinga Kingdom Kalinga Kingdom Kalinga forms the sea shore of Orissa and Andhra region of Andhra pradesh state in India. Kuru king Duryodhana's wife was from Kalinga. Kalingas sided with Duryodhana in the Kurukshetra War... |
Kingdoms in the Southern part of mainland India
| Telinga Kingdom Telinga Kingdom Telinga was a kingdom south to Kalinga. Andhra Kingdom lay to the south of it. Telinga was one of the ancient South Indian kingdoms.It falls in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, i.e., the northern part of Andhra Pradesh.References i Mahabharata... |
Andhra Kingdom Andhra Kingdom Andhra in Indian epic literature was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It was a southern kingdom. Andhra and Kalinga are often used interchangeably. Andhras are sub-tribes of Andhra satavahanas. The state Andhra Pradesh got its name from this kingdom.Andhra Tribes are also mentioned in... |
Kishkindha Kingdom | Gomanta Kingdom Gomanta Kingdom Gomanta was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It was an extension of the kingdom of Yadavas at Dwaraka. It is identified to be the Goa state of India, situated in the western coast... |
Karnata Kingdom Karnata Kingdom Karnata was a southern kingdom ruled by non-Vedic rulers during the period of the epic Mahabharata. The Karnata tribe was a Dravidian tribe. They could have migrated from the Sindh-Baluchistan area... |
Pandya Dynasty |
| Nair Dynasty Nair Dynasty A number of Nair dynasties existed in present day Kerala state, South India in the middle ages. These Hindu dynasties ruled tiny city states called "nadus" and were in frequent warfare with each other... |
Chera Dynasty Chera dynasty Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India... |
Mushika Kingdom Mushika Kingdom Mushika Kingdom was an ancient kingdom of the Tamil Sangam age in present day northern Kerala, India ruled by the Royal dynasty of the same name. They ruled the strip of land between Mangaluru in the north and Vadagara in the south... |
Chola Kingdom Chola Kingdom Chola was a powerful southern kingdom. They were mentioned in both great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. They were believed to have some link with the Sivi or Sibi clan, situated along with the Sindhu Sauviras. In the time of recorded history, Chola kingdom grew into a powerful empire... |
Kanchi Kingdom Kanchi Kingdom Kanchi was a southern kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. This kingdom took part in the Kurukshetra War. It was considered as one among the Mlechcha kingdoms, that follows non Vedic practices.It is identified as the Kanchi city in Tamil Nadu.... |
Pallava Kingdom |
| Satyaputra Kingdom | Tulu Kingdom Tulu Kingdom Tulu or Tuluga was a small kingdom during the period of Puranas, now thought to be the Tulu speaking areas in the South Western Karnataka. They are also mentioned in ancient Tamil literature.... |
Ay Kingdom Ay kingdom The Ay was the earliest ruling dynasty of the southern parts of present-day Kerala, south India. The Ay kings claimed descent from Yadavas or Ayar.... |
Saraswati Valley kingdoms
| Saraswata Kingdom Saraswata Kingdom Saraswata Kingdom was an ancient kingdom, territory or region that was situated on the banks of the river Sarasvati River during the pre-historic ages. This region is mentioned in detail in as many as 20 chapters in Mahabharata from to... |
Abhira Kingdom Abhira Kingdom Sura and Abhira tribe were mentioned as two kingdoms where the river Saraswati existed only as a dried up river bed during the time of Kurukshetra War. They were sometimes referred to as Surabhira also, combining both Sura and Abhira kingdoms... |
Sudra Kingdom Sudra Kingdom The Sudra Kingdom is mentioned as one of the kingdoms of ancient India mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. They were mentioned along with another tribe called the Abhiras along the banks of Sarasvati River where it dried up in the desert. The Yadava Balarama visited this place during his pilgrimage... |
Nishada Kingdom Nishada Kingdom Nishada was the kingdom of the Nishada Tribe, a tribe of people who the Vedic people considered valour and courageous.Ekalavya was a king of a Nishada tribe. He attacked Dwaraka once, and was killed by Vasudeva Krishna in the battle. This kingdom was located in Aravalli ranges in Rajasthan state of... |
Himalayan kingdoms
The table lands and valleys of the great HimalayanHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
Mountain Ranges, which were almost inaccessible to the people settled in the Ganges
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
, Sarasvati River
Sarasvati River
The Sarasvati River is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later Vedic texts like Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas as well as the Mahabharata...
and Sindhu river valleys, were inhabited by tribes who had very little interactions with the rest of the world. The Vedic people of the plains considered these tribes to be super-human and in later periods considered them even as natural-spirits. The domains of these exotic tribes are listed below:
To know about the mythological aspects of these exotic tribes see Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
. To know about the historical significance of these tribes see the Exotic tribes of ancient India
Exotic tribes of ancient India
The classic Indian epics such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas refer to many exotic tribes, describing them as superhuman or subhuman. Narrations about these tribes are often mixed with mythology and fiction...
.
| Kimpurusha Kingdom Kimpurusha Kingdom Kimpurusha Kingdom refers to the territory of a tribe called Kimpurushas who were one among the Exotic Tribes of Ancient India. These exotic tribes lived in inaccessible regions like the Himalaya mountains and had limited interaction with the Vedic civilization of ancient India... |
Pisacha Kingdom Pisacha Kingdom Pisacha kingdom refers to the territory of Pishachas who were a group of mountain dwellers who lived in the mountains around the Kashmir Valley. These tribes were mentioned in the epic Mahabharata along with other exotic tribes. The Kashmiri language is considered to be a language in the group of... |
Naga Kingdom Naga Kingdom Naga Kingdom refers to the territory of a tribe called Nagas who were a group of hardy and warlike people spread throughout India during far ancient history. They were also considered as one of the supernatural races like Kinnaras and Yakshas... |
Kinnara Kingdom Kinnara Kingdom In Indian epic literature, Kinnara Kingdom refers to the territory of a tribe called Kinnaras who were one among the exotic tribes, mentioned along with others like Devas , Asuras , Pisachas, Gandharvas, Kimpurushas, Vanaras, Suparnas, Rakshasas, Bhutas and Yakshas... |
Yaksha Kingdom Yaksha Kingdom Yaksha Kingdom refers to the territory of a tribe called Yakshas who were one of the Exotic Tribes of Ancient India. They had kinship with another similar tribe, the Rakshasas. Yaksha king Vaisravana and Rakshasa king Ravana were both sons of the sage Visrava Paulastya. Kubera is sometimes... |
| Gandharva Kingdom Gandharva Kingdom Gandharva Kingdom refers to the territory inhabited by a people called the Gandharvas, who were one of the Exotic Tribes of Ancient India. They were well versed in music and dance. Gandarvas were also powerful warriors who roamed in Indian kingdoms disregarding any Indian king or Kshatriya warrior... |
Kirata Kingdom Kirata Kingdom Kirata Kingdom in Sanskrit literature and Hindu mythology refers to any kingdom of the Kirata people, who were dwellers mostly in the Himalayas and North-East India. They took part in the Kurukshetra War along with Parvatas and other Himalayan tribes... |
Himalaya Kingdom Himalaya Kingdom Himalaya kingdom was a mountainous country in Himalayas mentioned in the Puranas. Himavan was probably its ruler and Parvati the wife of lord Siva was probably a princess from this kingdom... |
Parvata Kingdom Parvata Kingdom Parvatas Kingdom refers to the territory of a tribe known as Parvatas , mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Most of the descriptions of Parvata kingdom in the epic refer to a mountainous country in the Himalayas. Parvatas are people from Nepal. There used to be a nation named Parvata in Nepal until... |
Nepa Kingdom Nepa Kingdom Nepa was a mountainous kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It is identified as Nepal, a country located in the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas.- Nepas and king Yudhisthira :... |
See also
- RamayanaRamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
- MahabharataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
- Bharatavarsha
- ChakravartinChakravartinChakravartin , is a term used in Indian religions for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler's reign is called sarvabhauma. It is a bahuvrīhi, literally meaning "whose wheels are moving", in the sense of "whose chariot is rolling...
- Exotic tribes of ancient IndiaExotic tribes of ancient IndiaThe classic Indian epics such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas refer to many exotic tribes, describing them as superhuman or subhuman. Narrations about these tribes are often mixed with mythology and fiction...
- Monarchy in ancient IndiaMonarchy in ancient IndiaMonarchy in ancient India was sovereignty over a territory by a king who functioned as its protector, a role which involved both secular and religious power. The meaning and significance of kingship changed dramatically between the Vedic and Later Vedic period, and underwent further development...
- Historic figures of ancient IndiaHistoric Figures of Ancient IndiaThis article tries to compile and classify the prominent personalities of ancient India that find mention in more than one source of Sanskrit/Vedic literature like the two Hindu Ithihasas viz the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the Puranas and the Vedas with their supplement texts...
- Iron Age IndiaIron Age IndiaIron Age India, the Iron Age in the Indian subcontinent, succeeds the Late Harappan culture, also known as the last phase of the Indus Valley Tradition...
External links
- MahabharataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa (English translation is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm) - RamayanaRamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
of ValmikiValmikiValmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
(English translation is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm)