View source for Kingdom of Kashi

{{short description|Ancient Indian kingdom located in the region around its capital Varanasi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
{{About|the ancient Mahajanapada Kingdom of Kashi, not about the modern Kashi Naresh kingdom that later became the Princely State of Benares|other|Benares State}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox country
| native_name            = 
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Kashi
| common_name            = 
| era                    = 
| government_type        = [[Monarchy]]
| year_start             = 
| year_end               = 
| p1                     = 
| s1                     = Kosala
| image_map              = Late Vedic Culture (1100-500 BCE).png
| image_map_caption      = Kashi and other kingdoms of the late [[Vedic period]].
| image_map2             = Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE).png
| image_map2_caption     = Kashi and other Mahajanapadas in the Post Vedic period.
| leader1                = 
| capital                = [[Varanasi]]
| common_languages       = 
| religion               = [[Hinduism]]<br>[[Buddhism]]<br>[[Jainism]]
| currency               = 
| title_leader           = 
| today                  = 
}}
{{HistoryOfSouthAsia}}

The '''Kingdom of Kashi''' was an [[ancient India]]n kingdom located in the region around its capital [[Varanasi]], the latter bounded by the [[Varuna river|Varuna]] and Asi rivers in the north and south and named after them. It was one of the sixteen [[Mahajanapadas]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-09|title=16 Mahajanapadas|url=https://learn.culturalindia.net/mahajanapadas.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Cultural India|language=en-US}}</ref> great states that emerged in northern India at the start of the 6th century BCE. The kingdom of Kashi was bigger than Varanasi. Its easternmost border was the [[Son River]], which was also the western border of erstwhile [[Magadh]]. It would have covered much of the area of Eastern UP centered around today's Varanasi and the contemporary southwestern part of Bihar that was [[Arrah]] ([[Shahabad district|Shahabad]]) district. Today this area comprises [[Bhojpur district, Bihar|Bhojpur]], [[Rohtas district|Rohtas]], [[Kaimur district|Kaimur]] and [[Buxar]] districts. Technically, the territory of Kashi today would dominated by people of the [[Bhojpuri language]] and culture. Kashi Mahajanpad would still be larger than what is covered within the Panch Krosh Kashi, as defined in the ''[[Puranas]]''. 

At the time of [[Chanakya]], Kashi was still the center of Vedic and secular education par excellence, despite the prominence of Magadh. It was known more for military prowess. While Varanasi came under Buddhist influence, Shahabad remained a dominion of Hindu Shaivite culture, as reported by Chinese pilgrims.

The [[Jataka tales]] indicate Varanasi was one of the richest cities in India, known for its prosperity and opulence.<ref name="Singh">{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Upinder |title=A history of ancient and early medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th century |date=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education |isbn=9788131711200 |pages=258–262 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA258}}</ref> These stories tell of a prolonged rivalry between the neighboring kingdoms of Kashi and [[Kosala]], with also some occasional conflict with [[Anga]] and [[Magadha]]. Kashi once was one of the most powerful states in north India.<ref name="Singh" /> Although King Brihadratha of Kashi conquered Kosala, during [[Buddha]]'s time Kashi was incorporated into Kosala by King Kansa.<ref>https://sreenivasaraos.com/tag/history-of-kashi/</ref> The [[Kashi people|Kashi]], along with the [[Kosala people|Kosala]] and [[Videhan people|Videhan]], are peoples mentioned in Vedic texts and appear to have been closely allied. 

[[Siddartha Gautama]] first started preaching [[Buddhism]] in Kashi territory. 

<gallery>
Kashi coin, 400-300 BCE.jpg|thumb|Kashi coin, 400-300 BCE.
North India in 540 BCE.png|thumb|Map depicting 16 [[mahajanapada]]s kingdoms and other kingdoms of [[vedic era]] India in 540 BCE.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Tribes_and_kingdoms_of_the_Mahabharata}}
{{Mahajanapada}}


[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
[[Category:Mahajanapadas]]
[[Category:Places in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:History of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:History of Varanasi]]


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