JA N APA DA S A N D
NE W K I N G D O M S
A AYU S HMAN DHANWAL
BY
JANAPADAS
• A GROUP OF TRIBES CONSTITUTED A VILLAGE CALLED GRAMA.
• SOON, THESE GRAMAS BECOME LARGE TERRITORIES, THEREBY
GIVING THE RAJAN MORE AND MORE POWER.
• THESE LARGE TERRITORIES CAME TO BE CALLED JANAPADAS.
ASHWAMEDHA YAGNA
• THE ASHVAMEDHA (SANSKRIT: अश्वमेध AŚVAMEDHÁ)[1] WAS A HORSE
SACRIFICE RITUAL FOLLOWED BY THE ŚRAUTA TRADITION OF VEDIC
RELIGION. IT WAS USED BY ANCIENT INDIAN KINGS TO PROVE THEIR IMPERIAL
SOVEREIGNTY.
VARNA SYSTEM
• VARNA SYSTEM IS THE SOCIAL STRATIFICATION BASED ON THE VARNA,
CASTE. FOUR BASIC CATEGORIES ARE DEFINED UNDER THIS SYSTEM –
BRAHMINS (PRIESTS, TEACHERS, INTELLECTUALS), KSHATRIYAS (WARRIORS,
KINGS, ADMINISTRATORS), VAISHYAS (AGRICULTURALISTS, TRADERS,
FARMERS ) AND SHUDRAS (WORKERS, LABOURERS, ARTISANS).
MAHAJANAPADAS
• THE MAHĀJANAPADAS (SANSKRIT: GREAT REALM, FROM MAHA, “GREAT”, AND
JANAPADA “FOOTHOLD OF A PEOPLE”) WERE SIXTEEN KINGDOMS OR
OLIGARCHIC REPUBLICS THAT EXISTED IN NORTHERN ANCIENT INDIA FROM
THE SIXTH TO FOURTH CENTURIES BCE DURING THE SECOND URBANISATION
PERIOD.
URBANIZATION OF PERIOD
THIS PERIOD WAS MARKED BY MAJOR DEVLOPMENT WHICH INCLUDED: THE
USE OF IRON, PADDY TRANSPLANTATION, THE IMPOSITION OF TAXES, THE
GROWTH OF TRADE AND URBAN SETTLEMENTS, THE GROWTH OF NEW SKILLS
AND CRAFTS AND THE EMERGENCE OF NEW RELIGIONS AND IDEAS.
AGRICULTURE
• THERE WERE TWO MAJOR CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE AROUND THIS TIME.
ONE WAS THE GROWING USE OF IRON PLOUGH SHARES. THIS MEANT THAT
HEAVY, CLAYEY SOIL COULD BE TURNED OVER BETTER THAN WITH A
WOODEN PLOUGH SHARE, SO THAT MORE GRAIN COULD BE PRODUCED.
SECOND, PEOPLE BEGAN TRANSPLANTING PADDY.
TAXES
• TAXES WERE COLLECTED IN MAHAJANAPADAS FROM THE COMMON PEOPLE
TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY AND TO MAINTAIN BIG ARMIES
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CITY. … HERDERS WERE MADE TO PAY TAXES
IN KIND AND WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP ANIMALS OR ANIMAL PRODUCE AS
TAX. THERE WERE TAXES ON TRADABLE GOODS AND FOREST PRODUCE
ALSO.
MONARCHIES AND REPUBLIC.
• REPUBLICAN MAHAJANPADAS WERE RULED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE ELECTED
BY THE COMMON PEOPLE WHEREAS MONARCHIAL MAHAJANPADAS WERE
RULED BY A HEREDITARY KING .
• THE MAHAJANPADAS OF PANCHAL, KAMBOJ, KURU, VRIJI , KOLIYA, BHAGGA,
LICCHAVI, SHAKHYA WERE REPUBLICANS WHEREAS MAHAJANPADAS OF
MAGADHA, KOSALA, VATSA AND AVANTI WERE MONARCHIES
