Janapadas & Mahajanapadas | History for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
Page 2


Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
In the later Vedic period, as we have seen earlier, people had started agriculture, which made them settle down 
at a particular place. These permanent settlements led to foundation of janapadas or territorial states under the 
control of the king. 
In the sixth century BCE, the centre of economic and political activity shifted from Haryana and western UP to 
Eastern UP and Bihar, which had more rainfall and better fertility of land.
The iron ore resources of Bihar were now available to be used more easily. So, people started using more and 
more iron tools and ploughshare to clear thick forest cover and cultivate the hard soil of this area
The use of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states to become very large and they came to 
be called mahajanapadas. Most of them were situated north of Vindhyas, between Bihar in the east to the 
northwest frontier of the subcontinent. 
Evidences
A ploughshare dated to around 500 BCE has been found from Jakhera in Etah district in western U.P .
Buddhist texts tell us how cultivation of paddy, sugarcane and mustard required utmost care and several rounds 
of ploughing
Page 3


Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
In the later Vedic period, as we have seen earlier, people had started agriculture, which made them settle down 
at a particular place. These permanent settlements led to foundation of janapadas or territorial states under the 
control of the king. 
In the sixth century BCE, the centre of economic and political activity shifted from Haryana and western UP to 
Eastern UP and Bihar, which had more rainfall and better fertility of land.
The iron ore resources of Bihar were now available to be used more easily. So, people started using more and 
more iron tools and ploughshare to clear thick forest cover and cultivate the hard soil of this area
The use of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states to become very large and they came to 
be called mahajanapadas. Most of them were situated north of Vindhyas, between Bihar in the east to the 
northwest frontier of the subcontinent. 
Evidences
A ploughshare dated to around 500 BCE has been found from Jakhera in Etah district in western U.P .
Buddhist texts tell us how cultivation of paddy, sugarcane and mustard required utmost care and several rounds 
of ploughing
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
Most of these states were monarchical in nature but some of them, called ganasangha, had an 
oligarcharical system of governance. 
? In this system, unlike monarchies, administration was run by an elected king with the help of a large 
council or assemblies comprising heads of all important clans and families
? The most important of these states was that of Vajjis with their capital at Vaishali, which was ruled by 
the Lichchhavis. 
? These oligarchies mainly existed in the foothills of the Himalayas. 
? They were gradually defeated and conquered by the Magadhan Empire.
The Buddhist literature Anguttara Nikaya gives a list of sixteen great kingdoms called ‘Sixteen 
Mahajanapadas’.
? They were Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, 
Asmaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kambhoja. 
? Finally in the mid 6th century B.C., only four kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived.
Page 4


Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
In the later Vedic period, as we have seen earlier, people had started agriculture, which made them settle down 
at a particular place. These permanent settlements led to foundation of janapadas or territorial states under the 
control of the king. 
In the sixth century BCE, the centre of economic and political activity shifted from Haryana and western UP to 
Eastern UP and Bihar, which had more rainfall and better fertility of land.
The iron ore resources of Bihar were now available to be used more easily. So, people started using more and 
more iron tools and ploughshare to clear thick forest cover and cultivate the hard soil of this area
The use of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states to become very large and they came to 
be called mahajanapadas. Most of them were situated north of Vindhyas, between Bihar in the east to the 
northwest frontier of the subcontinent. 
Evidences
A ploughshare dated to around 500 BCE has been found from Jakhera in Etah district in western U.P .
Buddhist texts tell us how cultivation of paddy, sugarcane and mustard required utmost care and several rounds 
of ploughing
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
Most of these states were monarchical in nature but some of them, called ganasangha, had an 
oligarcharical system of governance. 
? In this system, unlike monarchies, administration was run by an elected king with the help of a large 
council or assemblies comprising heads of all important clans and families
? The most important of these states was that of Vajjis with their capital at Vaishali, which was ruled by 
the Lichchhavis. 
? These oligarchies mainly existed in the foothills of the Himalayas. 
? They were gradually defeated and conquered by the Magadhan Empire.
The Buddhist literature Anguttara Nikaya gives a list of sixteen great kingdoms called ‘Sixteen 
Mahajanapadas’.
? They were Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, 
Asmaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kambhoja. 
? Finally in the mid 6th century B.C., only four kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived.
Mahajanapadas
Page 5


Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
In the later Vedic period, as we have seen earlier, people had started agriculture, which made them settle down 
at a particular place. These permanent settlements led to foundation of janapadas or territorial states under the 
control of the king. 
In the sixth century BCE, the centre of economic and political activity shifted from Haryana and western UP to 
Eastern UP and Bihar, which had more rainfall and better fertility of land.
The iron ore resources of Bihar were now available to be used more easily. So, people started using more and 
more iron tools and ploughshare to clear thick forest cover and cultivate the hard soil of this area
The use of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states to become very large and they came to 
be called mahajanapadas. Most of them were situated north of Vindhyas, between Bihar in the east to the 
northwest frontier of the subcontinent. 
Evidences
A ploughshare dated to around 500 BCE has been found from Jakhera in Etah district in western U.P .
Buddhist texts tell us how cultivation of paddy, sugarcane and mustard required utmost care and several rounds 
of ploughing
The Rise of Janapadas and 
Mahajanapadas
Most of these states were monarchical in nature but some of them, called ganasangha, had an 
oligarcharical system of governance. 
? In this system, unlike monarchies, administration was run by an elected king with the help of a large 
council or assemblies comprising heads of all important clans and families
? The most important of these states was that of Vajjis with their capital at Vaishali, which was ruled by 
the Lichchhavis. 
? These oligarchies mainly existed in the foothills of the Himalayas. 
? They were gradually defeated and conquered by the Magadhan Empire.
The Buddhist literature Anguttara Nikaya gives a list of sixteen great kingdoms called ‘Sixteen 
Mahajanapadas’.
? They were Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, 
Asmaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kambhoja. 
? Finally in the mid 6th century B.C., only four kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived.
Mahajanapadas
Mahajanapadas Capital
Magadha Rajgir & Pataliputra
Anga Champa
Kosala Ayodhya & Sravasti
Kashi Banaras
Vajji Vaishali
Mallas Kushinagar
Chedis Suktimati
Kurus Hastinapur & Indraprastha
Panchalas Ahichchhatra & Kampilya
Matsya Viratnagar
Saursena Mathura
Asmaka Paithan
Vatsa Kausambhi
Gandhara Taxila
Kamboja Rajapura
Avanti Ujjain & Mahismati