16 Mahajanapadas List: Ancient Kingdoms of Early India

The 16 Mahajanapadas were ancient Indian kingdoms that played a crucial role in shaping early political, economic, and cultural landscapes during the 6th century BCE.

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16 Mahajanapadas

The Mahjanapadas were sixteen oligarchic republics or kingdoms that existed in ancient India from the sixth to the fourth century BCE. The Indus Valley Civilization’s demise coincided with the formation of India’s first big cities, which are widely seen as major turning moments in early Indian history.

The time from the sixth century BC onwards is often referred to as the age of new kingdoms, during which the tribes joined forces to create several separate entities. These communities later came together to establish the State or Janapadas, a permanent area of residence. These Janapadas steadily gained power, and as geographic limits grew, they evolved into Mahajanapadas.

16 Mahajanapadas and Their Capital

Here is the complete list of 16 Mahajanapadas given below in the table:

Name of Mahajanapadas	Capital
Anga	Champa
Magadha	Rajagriha
Kasi	Kasi
Vatsa	Kaushambi
Kosala	Shravasti (northern), Kushavati (southern)
Shurasena	Mathura
Panchala	Ahichchhatra and Kampilya
Kuru	Indraprastha
Matsya	Viratanagara
Chedi	Sothivathi
Avanti	Ujjaini or Mahishmati
Gandhara	Taxila
Kamboja	Poonch
Asmaka	Potali/Podana
Vajji	Vaishali
Malla	Kusinara

Most Important Mahajanapadas

All 16 Mahajanapadas are important

Kasi
Kosala
Anga
Magadha
Vajji
Malla
Chedi
Vatsa
Kuru
Panchala
Matsya
Surasena
Asmaka
Avanti
Gandhara
Kamboja

List of 16 Mahajanapadas Associated Facts

16 Mahajanapadas	Facts about 16 Mahajanapadas
Anga	The Atharva Veda and the Mahabharata both make mention of Anga Mahajanapada, which was conquered by the Magadha Empire under Bimbisara. It is located in West Bengal and Bihar today. Its capital, Champa, was situated where the Ganga and Champa rivers converged. It was a significant commercial hub on the trade routes, from which merchant ships travelled to Suvarnabhumi (South East Asia).
Magadha	Magadha, which was separated from Anga by the Champa River and was situated in modern-day Bihar, is mentioned in the Atharva Veda. Later, Rajagriha hosted the first Buddhist Council, and Magadha developed into a centre for Jainism.
Kasi/Kashi	It was situated in Varanasi, and according to the Matsya Purana, the rivers Varuna and Asi are responsible for the city’s name. Kosala took Kasi hostage.
Vatsa	Located on the Yamuna River’s banks, Vatsa—also known as Vamsa—was a Mahajanapada that utilised the monarchical system of government. The capital was called Kausambi or Kaushambi (which was at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna). In the sixth century, trade and business flourished in this important economic hub. After Buddha’s ascent, king Udayana declared Buddhism to be the official religion.
Kosala	It was situated in the present-day Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, which also included Ayodhya, a significant Ramayana-related city. The Sakyas of Kapilavastu’s tribal republican territory were also a part of Kosala. The birthplace of Gautama Buddha is Lumbini in Kapilavastu; a significant monarch is Prasenajit, a Buddha-era ruler.
Shurasena	At the time of Megasthenes, this location was a hub for Krishna worship, however, there was also a strong presence of Buddhist adherents. Awantipura, a significant monarch (Disciple of Buddha). Mathura, the nation’s capital, was located along the Yamuna.
Panchala	Ahichchatra (modern Bareilly), the capital of northern Panchala, and Kampilya (modern Farrukhabad), the capital of southern Panchala. In the Panchala Kingdom was the well-known city of Kannauj. Later, the republican government replaced monarchy as the dominant form of government.
Kuru	Kuru Mahajanapada is said to have originated in the region surrounding Kurukshetra, where it transitioned to a republican system of government. The Mahabharata, an epic poem, describes a war between two branches of the ruling Kuru clan.
Matsya	The capital was at Viratanagara, it was located south of the Kurus and west of the Panchalas (modern Bairat). It is located in the Rajasthan region, close to the modern cities of Jaipur, Alwar, and Bharatpur. The creator was Virata.
Chedi	This is referenced in the Rigveda. Sothivati/Shuktimati/Sotthivatinagara was the name of the capital. It is situated in the Bundelkhand area of today (Central India). Shishupala was king. During the Rajasuya sacrifice of the Pandava king Yudhishthira, he was slain by Vasudeva Krishna.
Avanti	Avanti played a significant role in the development of Buddhism. Its capital was situated in Ujjaini (in the northern section) and Mahismati (southern part). It was located near what is now Madhya Pradesh and Malwa. Pradyota, a significant monarch.
Gandhara	The city’s seat was at Taxila (Takshashila). Gandhara is mentioned in the Atharva Veda; it is currently located in the Kashmir valley, modern Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Gandhara was conquered by the Persians in the latter half of the sixth century BCE. It was significant for international commercial activities. The people were well-trained in the art of war. There was an important king named Pushkarasarin.
Kamboja	Poonch, the former capital of Kamboja, is located in the Hindukush and Kashmir regions of today. The Kamboja Republic is mentioned in a number of literary texts. Horses in Kambojas were of exceptional quality.
Asmaka or Assaka	It was the only Mahajanapada in Dakshinapatha to be found south of the Vindhya Range, and it was situated on the banks of the Godavari. It includes the Pratisthan or Paithan region.
Vajji	There were eight clans in the state of the Vajjis, the most powerful of which were the Lichchhavis (capital: Vaishali), Videhans (capital: Mithila), and Jnatrikas (based in Kundapura). Ajatashatru conquered the Vajjis, and Mahavira belonged to the Jnatrikas clan.
Malla	It is mentioned in Buddhist, Jain, and Mahabharata scriptures, and Malla was a republic. It had two capitals, Kusinara and Pava, both of which are significant in the history of Buddhism. Its territory reached the northern border of the Vajji state. At Pava, the Buddha consumed his final meal before departing for Mahaparinirvana at Kusinara.

Present Location of Mahajanapadas

Mahajanapadas	Present Location
Anga	Munger and Bhagalpur
Magadha	Gaya and Patna
Kasi/Kashi	Banaras
Vatsa	Allahabad
Kosala	Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Shurasena	Western Uttar Pradesh
Panchala	Western Uttar Pradesh
Kuru	Meerut and Southeastern Haryana
Matsya	Jaipur
Chedi	Bundelkhand region
Avanti	Malwa and Madhya Pradesh
Gandhara	Rawalpindi
Kamboja	Rajouri and Hajra (Kashmir), NWFP (Pakistan)
Asmaka or Assaka	Banks of Godavari
Vajji	Bihar
Malla	Deoria and Uttar Pradesh

Related Articles
Indus Valley Civilization	Maurayan Empire
Gupta Empire	Pitt’s India Act 1784

FAQs

What is the name of the 16 Mahajanapadas?

There were sixteen of such Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machcha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.

Which state emerged as the strongest among all the 16 Mahajanapadas?

The strongest and most influential Mahajanapada was Magadha. It was a Mahajanapada under the monarchy. Bimbisara, who ruled in the second part of the sixth century BCE, was the first significant and strong ruler of Magadha.

What is the origin of the Mahajanapadas?

In ancient India, there were sixteen kingdoms collectively known as the Mahajanapadas. It all started when the tribes (Janas) of the late Vedic period made the decision to establish their own territorial communities. As a result, new and long-lasting regions of settlement known as "states" or "janapadas" eventually arose.

Who is the king of Mahajanapadas?

India was governed by the Magadha Empire from 684 BC to 320 BC. Additionally, it is mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Out of the sixteen mahajanapadas, it was the strongest. Brihadratha the Great established the empire.