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{{about||the medieval kingdom|Kalachuris of Tripuri|the Ghanaian currency|Ghanaian cedi}}
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{{Infobox country
|native_name =
|conventional_long_name = Chedi Kingdom
|common_name = Chedi Kingdom
|today = India
|era = Ancient India
|status =
|status_text =
|empire =
|government_type = Monarchy
|event_start =
|date_start =
|year_start = 600 BCE
|event_end =
|date_end =
|year_end = 300 BCE
|image_map = Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE).png
|image_map_alt =
|image_map_caption = Chedi Kingdom and other Mahajanapadas in the Post Vedic period.
|capital = [[Suktimati]]
|common_languages =
|religion =
|currency =
|leader1 =
|year_leader1 =
|title_leader =
}}

[[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}}

'''Chedi''' ({{lang-sa|चेदी}}) was an ancient [[India]]n [[mahajanapada]], a kingdom which fell roughly in the [[Bundelkhand]] division of [[Madhya Pradesh]] regions to the south of river [[Yamuna]] along the river [[Ken River|Ken]]. Its capital city was called [[Suktimati]] in Sanskrit and Sotthivati-nagara in [[Pali]].<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1923 66">{{Citation|url=https://archive.org/details/politicalhistory00raycuoft|last=Raychaudhuri|first=Hem Chandra|title=Political history of ancient India, from the accession of Parikshit to the extinction of the Gupta dynasty|year=1923|page=66}}</ref> In [[Pali]]-language Buddhist texts, it is listed as one of the sixteen [[mahajanapada]]s ("great realms" of northern and central India).<ref>{{Citation|url=https://archive.org/details/politicalhistory00raycuoft|last=Raychaudhuri|first=Hem Chandra|title=Political history of ancient India, from the accession of Parikshit to the extinction of the Gupta dynasty|year=1923|page=67}}</ref> [[Ishwarsena]] alias ''Mahaksatrapa'' Isvardatta,<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref> the founder of the [[Abhira dynasty]], who seemed to have ruled over a large territory in the [[Deccan]],<ref name="Arun Kumar Sharma">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDluAAAAMAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Heritage of Tansa Valley | publisher=Bharatiya Kala Prakashan | author=Arun Kumar Sharma | year=2004 | pages=33, 92 | isbn=9788180900297}}</ref> started an era to commemorate his ascension,<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History"/> which became to be known as the [[Kalachuri Era|Kalachuri-Chedi era]].<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History"/><ref name="Arun Kumar Sharma"/>

According to the [[Mahabharata]], the Chedi Kingdom was ruled by [[Shishupala]], an ally of [[Jarasandha]] of [[Magadha Kingdom|Magadha]] and [[Duryodhana]] of [[Kuru Kingdom|Kuru]]. He was a rival of [[Krishna in the Mahābhārata|Vasudeva Krishna]] who was his uncle's son. He was killed by [[Krishna in the Mahābhārata|Vasudeva Krishna]] during the [[Rajasuya]] sacrifice of the Pandava king [[Yudhishthira]]. [[Bhima]]'s wife was from Chedi. Prominent Chedis during the [[Kurukshetra War]] included Damaghosha, [[Shishupala]], [[Dhrishtaketu]], Suketu, Sarabha, [[Bhima]]'s wife, [[Nakula]]'s wife Karenumati, Dhrishtaketu's sons. Other Chedis included King Uparichara Vasu, his children, King Suvahu, King Sahaja. It was ruled during early periods by ''Paurava'' kings and later by [[Yadava]] kings in the central part of the country.

==Geography==
The location of the capital city, Suktimati, has not been established with certainty. Historian [[Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri]] and [[F. E. Pargiter]] believed that it was in the vicinity of [[Banda, Uttar Pradesh]].<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1923 66"/> Archaeologist [[Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti]] has proposed that Suktimati can be identified as the ruins of a large [[Northern Black Polished Ware|early historical]] city, at a place with the modern-day name Itaha, on the outskirts of [[Rewa, Madhya Pradesh]].<ref>{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8qvY8pxVxcwC|last=Chakrabarti|first=Dilip Kumar|chapter=Mahajanapada States of Early Historic India|title=A Comparative Study of Thirty City-state Cultures: An Investigation|year=2000|editor-last=Hansen|editor-first=Mogens Herman|page=387}}</ref>

== Puranic History ==
The Chedi clan and kingdom was founded by Chidi, the son of Vidarbha and belonging to the [[Yadava]] dynasty. Chedi was later conquered and ruled by the Paurava King Vasu Uparichara, upon the order of Indra. Uparichara's descendant is Shishupala.

=== Chedi mentioned as a Kingdom of Ancient India (Bharata Varsha) ===

The Kuru-Panchalas, the Salwas, the Madreyas, the Jangalas, the Surasenas, the Kalingas, the Vodhas, the Mallas, the Matsyas, the Sauvalyas, the Kuntalas, the Kasi-Kosalas, the Chedis, the Karushas, the Bhojas...(6,9)

''Chedi was one among the kingdoms chosen for spending the 13th year of exile by the [[Pandavas]].''

Surrounding the kingdom of the [[Kuru Kingdom|Kurus]], are, many countries beautiful and abounding in corn, such as [[Panchala Kingdom (Mahabharata)|Panchala]], Chedi, [[Matsya Kingdom|Matsya]], [[Surasena Kingdom|Surasena]], Pattachchara, [[Dasarna Kingdom|Dasarna]], Navarashtra, [[Malla Kingdom|Malla]], [[Salwa Kingdom|Salva]], Yugandhara, [[Saurashtra Kingdom|Saurashtra]], [[Avanti Kingdom (Mahabharata)|Avanti]], and the spacious [[Kunti Kingdom|Kuntirashtra]]. (4,1)

=== King Uparichara Vasu and the festival of bamboo pole ===

[[Uparichara Vasu]] was a king of Chedi belonging to the '''Puru Dynasty'''. He was known as the friend of [[Indra]]. During his reign, Chedi kingdom had a good economic system and contained much mineral wealth, which made a lot of merchants around the world, come to the Kingdom. It was abundant in animals and corn. There were many towns and cities in the kingdom. He possessed a very special chariot. He introduced a festival in his kingdom in the honour of Indra. The festival involved planting of a '''bamboo pole''' every year, in honour of [[Indra]]. The king will then pray for the expansion of his cities and kingdom. After erecting the pole, people decked it with golden cloth and scents and garlands and various ornaments. From Chedi, he ruled a large territory, placing his sons as governors of various provinces. His son '''Vrihadratha''' (Maharatha) was installed in [[Magadha Kingdom|Magadha]], who later fathered Emperor [[Jarasandha]]. His other sons, viz., Pratyagraha, Kusamva (Manivahana), Mavella and Yadu also became governors at various places. Thus the Chedi king attained the status of an emperor and his kingdom became a vast '''empire'''. He diverted the waters of river '''Suktimati''' from the locks of the Mountain '''Kolahala''', for irrigating his capital-city which he named '''Suktimati'''. (1,63)

*This beautiful city of the Chedis was called after the '''Oyster''' (14,83)

His wife Girika, was from the valley of Kolahala. Girika's brother was installed as the generalissimo of Vasu's army. Apart from his five royal sons, he had a son and a daughter born of a woman of fisherman community. The male child, in due course established the [[Matsya Kingdom]] and founded the royal dynasty called ''Matsya Dynasty''. The female child lived as a member of fishermen community. Her line established as fishermen on the banks of river [[Yamuna]], in the kingdom of [[Kuru Kingdom|Kurus]]. The famous Kuru king [[Santanu]]'s wife [[Satyavati]] was from this fishermen community. The author of [[Mahābhārata]], vis [[Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa]] and the Kuru kings viz '''Chitrangada''' and '''Vichitravirya''' were the sons of Satyavati. [[Pandavas]] and [[Kauravas]] were the grandsons of Vichitravirya.(1,63)

*Another story connects Vasu with '''vegetarianism''' in ancient India. Filled with doubts respecting the propriety of eating flesh, some sages asked Uparichara Vasu for solving them. King Vasu, knowing that flesh is inedible, answered that it was edible. From that moment Vasu fell down from the firmament on the earth. After this he once more repeated his opinion, with the result that he had to sink below the earth for it. (13,115)<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b080.htm |title =The Mahabharata |website = sacred-texts.com}}</ref>
*A similar story connects Vasu with the issue of '''animal sacrifices'''. In his opinion sacrifices could be performed with or without the slaughter of animals (14,91)

=== King Shishupala of Chedi ===

'''[[Shishupala]]''' was the malevolent son of the King '''Damaghosha''' (1,189). He had another name viz Sunitha. His mother was '''Shrutakirti''', who was the sister of [[Kunti]], the mother of [[Pandavas]]. Both Kunti and Shrutakirti were sisters of '''Vasudeva''' the father of [[Krishna in the Mahābhārata|Vasudeva Krishna]]. However Shishupala developed enmity with Krishna (2,44), though he was affectionate to the [[Pandava]] [[Bhima]]. During his military campaign to collect tribute for [[Pandava]] king [[Yudhishthira]]'s [[Rajasuya]] sacrifice, Bhima stayed at the palace of Shishupala for a month as a guest. He also accepted Yudhishthira's sway over his kingdom and gave Bhima tribute (2,28). During the midst of Yudhishthira's Rajasuya ceremony, a dispute arose between Shishupala and Vasudeva Krishna. Pandavas tried to mediate. He also rebuked the Pandavas and Kuru grandsire [[Bhishma]] along with Krishna. Then Krishna, extremely provoked, decapitated Shishupala. (2,44).

Shishupala's hostilities to Krishna were many. He burned the city of [[Dwaraka Kingdom|Dwaraka]], while [[Vasudeva Krishna|Krishna]] was in [[Pragjyotisha Kingdom|Pragjyotisha]] with his army. He attacked king Bhoja, sporting at Raivataka hill close to Dwaraka. He stole the horse of Krishna's father Prince [[Vasudeva]] of [[Mathura]], during his horse-sacrifice. He insulted the wife of Akrura (Vabhru - the friend of Krishna), on her way from Dwaraka to [[Sauvira Kingdom]]. He kidnapped the princess of '''Visala''', viz '''Bhadra''', the fiancé of [[Karusha Kingdom|Karusha]] king. (2,44)

*Yudhishthira installed Shishupala's son in the throne of Chedi. (2,44)
*Shishupala's sister was married to [[Bhima]] as per the reference in (15,25)

=== King Dhrishtaketu of Chedi ===

'''Dhrishtaketu''', the king of Chedi (3,12), was described as the elder son of King Shishupala (5,50). During the time of Dhrishtaketu also, '''Suktimati''' was the capital of Chedi. Dhrishtaketu was an army-general in the army of Pandavas in [[Kurukshetra War]]. He was the leader of the army of the Chedis, the [[Kasi Kingdom|Kasis]], and the [[Karusha Kingdom|Karushas]] (5,199). He was a Maharatha (a great charriot-warrior) as per the rating of [[Bhishma]] (5,172). One of his sons also took part in the war (5,57). He was slain by [[Drona]] (7,128), (11,25). Dhrishtaketu also was slain in battle by Drona.

*Chedi Princess '''Karenumati''' was wedded to the [[Pandava]] [[Nakula]], and prince '''Narimitra''' was their son. (1,95). It is not clear if she was Dhrishtaketu's sister. However it was mentioned that his sister was the wife of one of the Pandavas (3,22) (15,1).
*'''Sarabha''', the middle son of Shishupala became the king of Chedi after the death of Dhrishtaketu. He was killed in battle by [[Arjuna]] during his military campaign, after the [[Kurukshetra War]]. (14,83)
* '''Mahipala''', the youngest son of Shishupala killed in a blast done by [[Dussasana]] on 9th day of war.

=== Other Kings of Chedi ===

*King '''Subahu''' was described as the king of Chedi, during the time of [[Nishadha Kingdom|Nishadha]] king [[Nala]] and Lord [[Rama]] . His wife, [[Damayanti]] the princess of [[Vidarbha Kingdom|Vidarbha]], left alone in forest, met a caravan of traders heading towards Chedi. Along with them she reached the Chedi capital and lived as a servant maid of queen, in the palace of Chedi. (3-64,65)
*King '''Sahaja''' among the Chedis and Matsyas, were described as an annihilator of his own race (5,74). He was the ally of Lord [[Rama]]

=== Chedis in Kurukshetra War ===
King of Chedi Kingdom; Dhrishaketu the son of [[Shishupala|Sishupal]] (who was killed by Krishna on Raj Suya Yagna) and his sons (at least 3) took part in Kurushetra war from Pandava's side. Dhrishaketu was killed by Guru Dronacharya on 14th day of Kurushetra war. Prince of Chedi kingdom (Son of Dhrishaketu) was killed by [[Ashwatthama|Aswathama]] on 15th day of Kurushetra war.
<br />
==== Chedi King Dhrishtaketu and his sons====

*The powerful chief of the Chedis, Dhrishtaketu, accompanied by an Akshauhini, came to the sons of Pandu. (5-19,57)
*The assembled kings of the Chedi and the Karusha tribes have all taken the part of the Pandavas with all their resources. (5,22)
*Chedi King Dhrishtaketu employed Kamboja steeds of variegated hue in the battle (7,23)
*Drona slew Dhrishtaketu and his son (7,122)
*Another Chedi prince was slain by '''[[Ashwatthama]]''', the son of [[Drona]] (7,198)
*Another son of Shishupala, brother of Dhrishtaketu, named Suketu also was slain by Drona (8,6)

==Popular fiction: Chedi in The Krishna Key==

In the 2012 anthropological thriller [[The Krishna Key]] the origin of Chhedi clan has been linked to Yadavas. Dr. Devendra Chedi is one of the main characters of the novel who is the genetic expert.<ref>The Krishna Key, Chapter, 46,The Krishna Key , Sanghi, Ashwin, Westland Publishers 2012</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Epic India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{Cite web|url= http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm |title =The Mahabharata |website = sacred-texts.com}}
*[[Kisari Mohan Ganguli]], ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose'', 1883-1896.

[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]

==External links==
{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}
{{Mahabharata}}
{{Mahajanapada |state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Yadava kingdoms]]

Chedi Kingdom - Revision history

CleanupBot at 06:18, 11 December 2022