(Redirected from Kingdoms of Ancient India):''This article is about the kingdoms as reflected in Sanskrit literature. See
History of India for a historical overview, in particular
Mahajanapadas and
Middle kingdoms of India for historical kingdoms ca. 700 BCE–1200 CE.''
'Epic India' is the depiction of
Greater India in the
Sanskrit epics, viz. the
Mahabharata and the
Ramayana as well as
Puranic literature (the
itihasa).
''"Map of ancient Indian kingdoms during epic periods"''
The historical context of the Sanskrit epics are the late
Vedic Mahajanapadas (from about 700 BC) and the subsequent formation of the
Maurya Empire, the beginning of the "golden age" of
Classical Sanskrit literature.
The kingdoms
The boundaries of the kingdoms
The kingdoms mentioned below existed when territorial boundaries were less important, due to the limited human population and sparse human settlements. Often rivers formed the boundaries of two neighbouring kingdoms, as was the case between northern and southern
Panchala and the western (
Pandava's Kingdom) and eastern (
Kaurava's Kingdom)
Kuru. Sometimes, large forests, which were larger than the kingdoms themselves, formed their boundaries as was the case of the
Naimisha Forest between
Panchala and
Kosala kingdoms. Mountain ranges like Himalaya, Vindhya and Sahya also formed their boundaries.
The cities and villages
Some kingdoms possessed a main city that served as its capital. For example, the capital of Pandava's Kingdom was
Indraprastha and the Kaurava's Kingdom was
Hastinapura.
Ahichatra was the capital of Northern Panchala where as
Kampilya was the capital of Southern Panchala.
Kosala Kingdom 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 were no border security for a kingdom and border disputes were very rare. One king may 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 some times be asked to give a tribute to the victorious king. Tribute will be collected only once, not in a periodic basis. The defeated king, in most cases, is free to rule his own kingdom, without maintaining any contact with the victorious king. There was no annexation of one kingdom by another kingdom. Often a military general makes these campaigns on behalf of his king. A military-campaign and tribute collection is often associated with a great sacrifice (like ''Rajasuya'' or ''Aswamedha'') conducted in the kingdom of the campaigner 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 produces more than one kings in a generation. The Kuru clan of kings and Ikshwaku clan of kings were very successful in spreading all over north India with their numerous kingdoms, formed after each successive generation. Similarly the Yadava clan of kings spread numerous kingdoms in the central India.
Cultural differences in the kingdoms
''Main article
Bahlika Culture''
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 and
Panchala kingdoms. Probably these were due to the influence of Iranian cultures. Similarly tribes ruling south India were also considered as non-Vedic by the Kuru, Panchalas, though the differences were not so significant. This may be due to the Dravidian nature of these tribes. Similarly there were some tribes in the eastern regions of India, considered to be in this category. Tribes with a different culture was collectively termed by the Vedic tribes by the name ''
Mlechha''. Very little was mentioned in the ancient Indian literature, about the kingdoms to the north, beyond Himalayas.
China was mentioned as a kingdom known as Chin, some times grouped with ''Mlechcha'' kingdoms.
Main kingdoms of Northern and North-Central India
Main kingdoms of North-Central India
Kingdoms of Western and West-Central India
North-Northwestern (Fishermen's) kingdoms
Western kingdoms
Northwestern kingdoms
Northern kingdoms
Eastern kingdoms
Kingdoms South of the Vindhya Range
Kingdoms in the extreme South
Saraswati Valley kingdoms
Himalayan kingdoms
The table lands and valleys of the great
Himalayan Mountain Ranges, which were almost inaccessible to the people settled in the
Ganga,
Saraswati 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. To know about the historical significance of these tribes see the
Exotic tribes of ancient India.''
See also
★
Bharatavarsha
★
Chakravartin
★
Mahabharata
★
Ramayana
★
Exotic tribes of ancient India
★
Historic figures of ancient India
★
Iron Age India
References and External Links
★ Mahabharata of
Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa (English translation is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm)
★ Ramayana of Valmiki(English translation is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm)
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