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Features of
Mahajanapadas

Polity and Administration

Monarchies
Hereditary Kingship: King served as the highest administrative official and warlord.
Assisted by Mahamatras and Ayuktas for administration and military functions.
Kings controlled tax collection, justice, and defense.
Military: Permanent, professional armies were maintained by the state.

Republics (Gana-Sanghas)
Governed by assemblies of clan heads with democratic decision-making. King (Rajan)
was the first among equals, not an absolute ruler.
Leadership based on merit. One able-bodied ruling man elected as the leader (Rajan).
Key officials included- Raja (Ruling Chief), Uparaja (Deputy Chief), Senapati
(Commander of the Army), and Bhandagarika (Treasurer).

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Representatives, known as Gana Mukhyas, were selected from each district to represent
the people in the Sangha or Assembly, which convened in a hall called Santhagara.

Economic and Technological Advancements

Metal Technology:
Widespread use of iron tools for
deforestation and agriculture.
Blacksmiths had advanced knowledge of
hardening iron tools, enabling large-scale
applications in agriculture and warfare.

Agriculture:
Iron-tipped ploughshares allowed for
clearing rainfed forests and cultivating
hard-soil areas, leading to large-scale
agricultural expansion.

Fertile alluvial soil in the Ganga plains contributed significantly to the growth of
agriculture.
Rice became the staple crop, particularly in eastern Uttar Pradesh, with the adoption of
paddy transplantation boosting yield.

Metal Coins (Legal Tender):

Metal coins first appeared in the 7th-6th century
BCE, primarily silver, with occasional copper
coins.
The coins of this period were punch-marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas, or
Pana, they were stamped with specific figures and motifs like the sun, animals, trees, and
geometrical symbols.
Initially issued by merchant guilds, coins later became state-issued currency.

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Use of coins facilitated commerce.

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Artisan and merchant
+57 12 345 667 guilds (Shrenis) organized economic activities and later evolved
into Jatis.
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Taxation:
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The burden of taxation fell on the Vaishyas and Grihapatis
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Kshatriyas
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The voluntary Bali payment of the Vedic age became a compulsory tax.
Tax officers, known as Balisadhakas, were appointed to ensure collection. Traders and
artisans were also taxed.

Society and Religion

Varna System
Society divided into four varnas with Brahmins gaining prominence due to elaborate
rituals.
Shudras faced discrimination and were denied legal and religious rights.

Rise of Buddhism and Jainism

Buddha and Mahavira, both from the Kshatriya
clan, challenged Brahminical authority by
introducing Buddhism and Jainism.
These religions opened religious and social spaces
for Shudras and women.

Urbanization and Culture

Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)

Phase:
Archaeologically, this era (700-200 BCE) is
characterized by glossy, shining pottery,
primarily used by affluent classes.
NBPW
Urbanization:
The NBPW phase marked India’s Second Urbanization, with bustling cities like Mathura
and Pataliputra serving as centers of trade, politics, and culture.
Roads and Trade Routes:
Routes like Uttarapatha and Dakshinapatha connected various
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The Art
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345 Writing and Mathematics:
Writing
Your reappeared post-Harappan culture, enabling law compilation, bookkeeping,
city address
trade documentation, and tax collection.
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Sulba Sutras (Baudhayana and others) advanced geometry, including Pythagorean
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Loremtriples.
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Takshashila
Amritsar
Purushapura Ancient Trade Route
Amritsar
Gandhara

Kurukshetra

Has�napur

Shravas�
Mathura

Pataliputra
Varanasi
Prayag

Nalanda
Chitrakoot
Vidhisha
Tamralip�
Ujjain

Prathishthan(Paithan)

Rise of Magadha: The Formation of an Empire

Magadha emerged as the most powerful Mahajanapada, dominating

northern India.
Reasons for Magadha’s Rise:
1. Strategic Geography:
Capitals like Rajgriha (protected by hills) and Pataliputra (surrounded by rivers) were
virtually impregnable.
2. Economic Resources:
Abundance of iron ore
supported weapon
production.
Fertile Gangetic plains and
heavy rainfall supported
surplus production.
3. Military Innovations: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed

First state to use war

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elephants extensively.
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4. Progressive Society:
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Magadha’s flexible social
policies encouraged talent Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam

and innovation. nonummy nibh Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing

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5. Ambitious Rulers:
Kings like Bimbisara and Ajatshatru expanded the kingdom through conquests and
alliances.

Dynasties of Magadha

Haryanka Dynasty (544 BCE - 413 BCE)

Bimbisara: Ajatshatru:
Capital: Rajgriha Convened the
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(surrounded by five First

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+57 12 345 667 Rajgriha.

Introduced a
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standing army and Moved the
practiced marriage capital to
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alliances. Pataliputra.
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Sisunaga Dynasty (413 BCE - 345 BCE)

Ended rivalry with Avanti by annexing it.
Capital moved to Vaishali, later shifted to Pataliputra under
Kalasoka.

Nanda Dynasty (345 BCE - 321 BCE)

First non-Kshatriya dynasty.
Mahapadmananda:
Claimed to be the sole sovereign (Ekarat).
Expanded Magadha by annexing Kalinga.
Dhanananda:
Overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya with
Chanakya’s support.

Conclusion

The period of Mahajanapadas marks a transformative phase in Indian history,

characterized by political centralization, economic growth, and cultural development.
These advancements laid the groundwork for empires like the Mauryas, shaping the
trajectory of Indian civilization.

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