Gandhari people

2022-06-12T16:08:20Z

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{{Short description|tribe attested from the Rigveda}}
The '''Gandharis''' ({{lang-sa|गंधारी}}), are a tribe attested from the [[Rigveda]] ([[Mandala 1|RV 1]].120.1, 1.126.7) and later texts.

According to Zimmer, they lived on the [[Kabul River|Kubha river]] in Vedic times.<ref>Macdonell and Keith, Vedic Index, 1912</ref> In later times, they formed a part of the Persian empire.<ref>Macdonell and Keith, Vedic Index, 1912</ref>
They are first mentioned as Gandhari in the Rigveda, then along with the Balhikas (Bactrians) among border tribes in the Atharvavada, to whom one sends illnesses such as the fever.
The [[Aitareya Brahmana]] refers to king Naganajit of Gandhara who was contemporary of King Janaka of Videha. The Gandharis are also mentioned in the [[Chandogya Upanishad]] and the [[Srauta Sutras]].

The Gandharas are included in the [[Uttarapatha]] division of Puranic and Buddhistic traditions.
The Puranas record that the [[Druhyus]] were driven out of the land of the seven rivers by Mandhatr and that their next king Gandhara settled in a north-western region which became known as [[Gandhara]].<ref>Kandahar in Afghanistan possibly derives its name from Gandhara, Bryant 2001</ref> The sons of the later Druhyu king Pracetas lived in the adjacent region of north Afghanistan. This is recorded in the following Puranas: Bhagavata 9.23.15–16; Visnu 4.17.5; Vayu 99.11–12; Brahmanda 3.74.11–12 and Matsya 48.9.<ref>see e.g. Pargiter [1922] 1979; Talageri 1993, 2000</ref>

Gandharas and their king figure prominently as strong allies of the [[Kuru (kingdom)|Kuru]]s against the [[Pandava]]s in [[Mahabharata]] war. The Gandharas were a furious people, well trained in the art of war. According to [[Puranic]] traditions, this Janapada was founded by ''Gandhara'', son of Aruddha, a descendant of [[Yayati]]. The princes of this country are said to have come from the line of Druhyu who was a famous king of Rigvedic period. The river Indus watered the lands of Gandhara. According to Vayu Purana (II.36.107), the Gandharas were destroyed by Pramiti aka [[Kali|Kalika]], at the end of ''[[Kali Yuga]]''.

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Rigvedic tribes]]
[[Category:Ancient history of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Ancient history of Pakistan]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Gandhari people