View source for Avanti Ancient India

{{short description|Historical country in India}}
{{About|the historical region of Avanti|the kingdom in Indian epic literature|Avanti Kingdom (Mahabharata)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox former country
|native_name =  
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Avanti
|common_name = Avanti
|era       = [[Bronze Age]], [[Iron Age]]
|government_type = [[Monarchy]]
|year_start  =  c. 700 BCE
|year_end    = c. 300 BCE
|s1         =Malavas
|image_map    = Mahajanapadas_(c._500_BCE).png
| image_map_alt =  
|image_map_caption  = Avanti and other Mahajanapadas in the Post Vedic period.
|leader1 =  
|capital = [[Ujjain|Ujjayini]]
|common_languages =  [[Sanskrit]]
|religion         = [[Hinduism]]<br>[[Buddhism]]<br>[[Jainism]]
|currency     = 
|title_leader=  [[Maharaja]]
|today       = {{flag|India}}  
}}
[[File:North India in 540 BCE.png|thumb|Map depicting 16 [[mahajanapada]]s kingdoms and other kingdoms of [[vedic era]] India in 540 BCE.]]
{{HistoryOfSouthAsia}}

'''Avanti''' ({{lang-sa|अवन्ति}}) was an [[ancient India]]n [[Mahajanapada]] (''Great Realm''), roughly corresponded to the present day [[Malwa]] region. According to the [[Buddhist texts]], the ''Anguttara Nikaya'', Avanti was one of the ''solasa [[mahajanapadas]]'' (sixteen great realms) of the 6th century BCE. The ''janapada'' was divided into two parts by the [[Vindhyas]], the northern part had its capital at [[Ujjain|Ujjayini]] and the southern part had its centre at [[Mahishmati]].<ref>Mahajan, V.D. (1960, reprint 2007). ''Ancient India'', New Delhi:S. Chand, {{ISBN|81-219-0887-6}}, p.233</ref><ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.85,129-30</ref>

The Avantis, the ancient people belonging to this realm were described as ''mahavala'' (very powerful) in the [[Udyoga Parva]] (19.24) of the [[Mahabharata]].<ref name="law1">Law, B.C. (1973). ''Tribes in Ancient India'', Bhandarkar Oriental Series No.4, Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, pp.337-43</ref> According to the [[Vishnu Purana]] (II.3), the [[Bhagavata Purana]] (XII.I.36) and the [[Brahma Purana]] (XIX.17), the Avantis were associated with the [[Malava]], the [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]]s, the [[Abhira]]s/[[Yadav]]as , the Suras, the [[Karusha Kingdom|Karusha]]s and the Arbudas and were described as dwelling along the ''Pariyatra'' (or ''Paripatra'') mountains<ref name="law2">Law, B.C. (1973). ''Tribes in Ancient India'', Bhandarkar Oriental Series No.4, Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, p.63</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Gokhale|first=B. G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWNuAAAAMAAJ&q=abhira+history+of+rajputs|title=Samudra Gupta: Life and Times|page=18|publisher=Asia Publishing House|location=New Delhi|year=1962}}</ref> (a western branch of the Vindhyas).

==The Haihayas of Mahishhmati==
[[File:I13 12karshapana Avanti 1ar (8481304617).jpg|thumb|A silver coin of ½ [[karshapana]] from the kingdom of Avanti about 400-312 BC. '''Obv:''' Fish. '''Rev:''' empty. '''Dimensions:''' 10 x 9.32 mm. '''Weight:''' 1.7 g.]]
{{Main|Haihayas}}
According to the Puranic accounts, the [[Haihayas]] were the earliest rulers of Avanti, who captured the region from the Nagas. Initially, they ruled from Mahishmati. Some accounts place Ujjayini as the capital of Avanti.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/74 74]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>Later, the whole janapada was divided into two parts with the capitals at Mahishmati and Ujjayini. The Haihayas were a confederation of five clans, the Vitihotras, the Bhojas, the Avantis, the Tundikeras and the Sharyatas. Later, the Haihayas were better known by their dominant clan - the Vitihotras. Ripunjaya, the last Vitihotra ruler of Ujjayini was overthrown by his ''amatya'' (minister) Pulika, who placed his son, [[Pradyota]] on the throne.<ref>Raizada, Ajit (1992). ''Ujjayini'' (in Hindi), Bhopal: Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Madhya Pradesh, p.21</ref><ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.130-1</ref> 

The ''Mahagovindasuttanta'' of the ''[[Digha Nikaya|Dighanikaya]]'' mentions an Avanti king Vessabhu (Vishvabhu) and his capital Mahissati (Mahishmati). Probably he was a Vitihotra ruler.<ref name="bhattacharyya">{{cite book|last=Bhattacharyya|first=P. K. |title=Historical Geography of Madhya Pradesh from Early Records|year=1977|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|location=Delhi|isbn=9788120833944|pages=118–9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=njYpsvmr2dsC&q=Dighanikaya+Mahissati&pg=PA118}} writer( sp ananth)</ref>

==Pradyota dynasty==
{{Main|Pradyota dynasty}}
Pradyota was contemporary to [[Gautama Buddha]].{{sfn|Kailash Chand Jain|1972|p=99}} He was also known as ''Chandapradyota Mahasena''. Pradyota captured the [[Vatsa]] king Udayana but later he married his daughter Vasavadatta to Udayana. The ''Mahavagga'' described him as cruel and according to the Majjhima Nikaya, [[Ajatashatru]], the king of [[Magadha]] fortified [[Rajagriha]] to protect it from an invasion led by Pradyota. He also waged war on Pushkarasarin, king of [[Taxila|Takshashila]]<ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.179-81</ref> Pradyota's chief queen Gopalamata (mother of prince Gopala) was a disciple of Buddhist monk Mahakatyayana and constructed a [[stupa]] in Ujjayini.

Prodyota had two sons, Gopala and Palaka. He was succeeded by Palaka. According to Jaina accounts Palaka ascended to the throne on the day of passing away of [[Mahavira]]. According to the [[Kathasaritsagara]] and the ''Avashyaka Kathanaka'', the kingdom of [[Vatsa]] was already a part of Avanti during the reign of Palaka and a prince of the royal family was the governor of [[Kosambi|Kaushambi]]. In the [[Mricchakatika]], Palaka was described as a tyrant who was overthrown by a popular revolt. This revolt placed Aryaka on the throne of Ujjayini.  The Puranas place Nadivardhana or Vartivardhana after Aryaka. But these names are probably corruptions of Avantivardhana, the name of the son of Palaka according to the ''Kathasaritsagara'' or the son of Gopala according to the Nepali ''Brihatkatha''. He was defeated by [[Shishunaga]], the king of [[Magadha]].<ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.192-5</ref>

==Avanti under Magadhan rule==
[[File:A copper uninscribed coin of Ujjayini.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A copper uninscribed coin of Ujjayini]]
Avanti was a part of the [[Magadha|Magadha empire]] during the rule of the [[Shishunaga dynasty|Shaishunaga]] and the [[Nanda dynasty|Nanda]] dynasties. During the [[Maurya dynasty]] rule, Avanti became the {{IAST|Avantirāṭṭha}}<ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.256</ref> or the western province of the empire, with its capital at Ujjayini.<ref>Thapar, R. (2001). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', New Delhi: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.237</ref> The Junagarh Rock inscription of [[Rudradaman I]] (150 CE) mentions Pushyagupta as the governor of the western province during the reign of [[Chandragupta Maurya]].<ref>Thapar, R. (2001). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', New Delhi: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.13</ref> During the reign of the next ruler [[Bindusara]], prince [[Ashoka]] was the provincial governor.<ref>Thapar, R. (2001). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', New Delhi: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.21</ref> After the fall of the Mauryas, at the time of [[Pushyamitra Shunga]], his son [[Agnimitra]] was the Magadhan viceroy at [[Vidisha]], but he ruled independent of Magadha for all practical purposes.<ref>Lahiri, B (1974). ''Indigenous States of Northern India (Circa 200 B.C. to 320 A.D.) '', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.49</ref>

==Malava Kingdom==
The ''Malava kingdom'' is one of the many kingdoms ruled by the [[Yadu|Yadava]] kings in the central and western India [[Malwa]] region that are mentioned in the [[Mahabharata]].<ref>[[Kisari Mohan Ganguli]], ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose'', 1883-1896.</ref> Sometimes, Avanti and Malava were described to be the same country. They were originally a western tribe, located in the [[Punjab]] region of North-west India.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}} Later, they migrated to the [[Rajasthan]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]] states of India. In the [[recorded history]] of India, there was a royal tribe called Malavas that were believed to be the descendants of the Malavas.

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
* {{citation |last=Jain |first=Kailash Chand |title=Malwa Through the Ages |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3O7q7cU7k0C |date=1972 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |edition=First |isbn=978-81-208-0805-8 |ref={{sfnref|Kailash Chand Jain|1972}} }}

==See also==
*[[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]
*[[Janapada]]
*[[List of Hindu Empires and Dynasties]]
*[[Avanti-Magadhan Wars]]
{{Mahajanapada |state=collapsed}}
{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Avanti (India)|*]]
[[Category:History of Malwa]]
[[Category:Mahajanapadas]]
[[Category:Yadava kingdoms]]
[[Category:History of Ujjain]]