The Mahajanapadas | Param IAS

Bihar in 6th century BC a number of small kingdoms or city states were emerged and dominated the region of Bihar.
During the later Vedic period, the Janaka dynasty was replaced by small independent territories who formed republics called Janapads.
Some Janapads combined to form Mahajanapadas.
however, Sixteen monarchies and republics known as the Mahajanapadas.
These Mahajanapadas were stretched across the Indo-Gangetic plains from modern-day Afghanistan to Bengal and Maharashtra.

These Mahajanapadas are

By 500-400 BC out of these sixteen kingdoms had combined to four major Mahajanpadas are Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha.
Further, Out of sixteen Mahajanapadas, three were in Bihar named as Anga, Vajji and Magadha.

Anga Kingdom

First time mentioned in Atharvaveda.
This kingdom comprised of present day Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Munger.
It was situated in the North-East of Magadha empire.
Champa (Bhagalpur in present day Bihar) was the capital of Anga kingdom.
Earlier name of Champa was Malini.
Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang has referred Champa as Chenpo.
It was established by Mahagovind king.
The 16th Mahajanapada had mentioned Anga by Anguttara Nikaya in the Buddhist scripture.
It is also mentioned in Jain literary text.
The first king of Anga was Titikshu.
The last three kings of independent Anga were Dadivahana, Drdhavarman and Brahmadatta.
Bimbisara killed Brahmadatta, last king of Anga Kingdom and merged Anga into Magadha.

The Vajji comprised of eight or nine confederated clans.
Out of eight clans the most important clans were the Vaishali (Licchavi), the Videhas and the Jnatrikas.
The Vajji was essentially located in Northern India.
Capital of Vajji was located at Vaishali.
Vaishali was an independent clan and considered as the world's first Republic.
The Vajji comprised of present day Champaran, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Darbhanga districts in Bihar.

Vaishali (licchavi) was an independent clan and considered as the world's first Republic and had an elected assembly of representatives.
ALso, It was the most important and powerful clan of the Vajji confederacy.
It was situated on the Northern banks of the Ganga spread over present day Bihar and some regions of Nepal.
Its capital was located at Vaishali.
The present village of Basarh in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar as the site of Vaishali of ancient days.
During the Mahabharata era Vaishali was named after the King Vishal.
Vaishali was an important centre of Buddhism and the headquarters of the Vajji republic.
Lord Mahavira was born at Kundagram in Vaishali.
Panini used the term Vrij for Vajji but did not mention about Licchavis.
Aamrapali was the royal courtesan and dancer of Vaishali. She was called Nagar-Vadhu of Vaishali.
Mother of Lord Mahavira, Trishala was sister of King Chetaka of Vaishali.
Chetaka married his daughter Chellana to Bimbisara of Magadha.
Vaishali was conquered by Ajatashatru, King of Magadha atfer 4th century BC.
Some Buddhist text, Mahaparinibbana Sutta refers people of Vaishali as Kshatriyas, while Manusmriti has placed them in the category of Vratya Kshatriyas.
Also Kautilya has mentioned about the tribal confederation of Vaishali in his Arthashastra.

Videha was mentioned for the first time in Yajurveda.
Videha also is mentioned in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Videha the ancient kingdom was located in the Northern side of Ganga, presently located in the Northern Bihar and Eastern Terai region of Nepal.
The Videha kingdom was started by Ikshvaku's son Nimi Videh.
After that Mithijanak Videh, the next king had established Mithila.
After this, all kings of this kingdom were called as Janaka.
Hindu Goddess Sita was the princess of Videha.
She was daughter of Raja Janaka of Videha.
The capital of Videha kingdom was Janakpur (now part of Nepal).
The last king of this kingdom was King Karal.

For the first time Magadha was mentioned in Atharvaveda.
It was considered as a strong republic in Buddha period.
The extension of Magadha kingdom was from Ganga in the North to Vindhayas in the South and Champa in the East to river Sone in the West.
Earlier capital of Magadha was Girivraja or Rajgir, which was surrounded from all sides by five hills.
Later the capital shifted to Patliputra.
Magadhan kingdom included Koshal, Vatsa and Avanti.
Brihadratha founded the famous Brihadratha dynasty in Magadha.
This Brihadratha dynasty had 10 kings of whom, Jarasandha, son of Brihadratha was a powerful emperor.
He extended his supremacy over Chedi, Anga, Pundra, Vanga and Kalinga.
Two of India's greatest empires, the Mauryan empire and Gupta empire emerged in Magadha.