Mahajanapada: 16 Great kingdoms of India

Mahajanapada: 16 Great kingdoms of India

 Mahajanapada was 16 great kingdoms of ancient India. These 16 kingdoms were the earlier states of ancient India, what is now divided into present day's India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. This ancient kingdoms can be found in Vedas. 

They were Chedi ,Kasi ,Kosala ,Anga, Vajji ,Malla,Vatsa ,Kuru ,Panchala ,Matsya ,Surasena ,Assaka ,Gandhara ,Kamboja  and Avanti . Each kingdom were name after a Kshatriya (worrier) tribe which settled there. 

Political Scenario in Mahajanapada

These great kingdoms always engaged in war with other kingdoms, specially with neighboring kingdom . There were no single dynasty that rule a Mahajanapada solely. The position of king was depend on courage and war he won. This lead many dynasties to rule single Janapada in different eras. Like Magadha ruled by many great Indian dynasties, from Nandas to Mauryas and from Guptas to Sakas. 

Gantantra: Republic States in Ancient India  

There is common misconception regarding governance in ancient India. Many people believe that since there were kings in ancient India, It must be Monarchy system, which is wrong. There were many republic states in ancient India which were governed by republic form of governments. Since many Gantantras were Buddha's followers they vowed to non-violence. Tough many Gnatantras were always threatened by Kings of neighboring states, Gantantras survived till 4th Century A.D.

   

Aryan Invasion Theory - A Solid Myth

What is Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT) ?

British linguist Max-Muller has invented the Aryan invasion theory. According to Aryan invasion theory,  The people of present day south India (Dravidian) were the native people of India. Dravidian people established the most advance civilization of it's time, which is know as the Indus valley civilization. In the 1500 B.C.E the so called Aryan race migrated in India from central Asia(present day Iran). Aryans, the nomadic tribes invaded India and pushed Dravidian towards south peninsula. According to this AIT, ancient texts regarding wars between God and demons in Vedas and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata  were nothing but conflicts between Aryans and native Dravidian. 

Why AIT is a Myth?
The theory was the justification for the British occupation of India, as Winston Churchill remarked.  AIT was quickly adopted by western world though there was no evidence to prove this theory. Indian historians and archeologists like Rakhaldas Banerjee and S.P.Gupta had always opposed this theory. 

Let's take a look at following points:

Wrong AIT date: According to Max Muller Aryans invaded India 1500BCE. Recent discovery of lost city of Dwarka, near Gujarat coast dated 5000 B.C.E., which indicates that the roots of Hindu religion is older than 5000 B.C.E. This latest discovery of per-Harappan civilization decline the Max Muller's date of so called "Aryan Invasion".

Aryan is NOT a RACE !
According to western scholars like Max Muller, Aryan is race of people speaking Indo-European languages. The word Aryans derived from Sanskrit word Arya. In Sanskrit  language the word literately means "The Noble One".  Arya is not mentioned as a race in any Vedas or any ancient Hindu texts.


Dravidian is Not a Separate Race!
If Aryans invaded India and pushed native Dravidian to South peninsula, answer following questions.

1. How can Dravidian and Aryans worship same God and follow same rituals?
2. If epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata are stories of  war between Aryans and Dravidians, How can dark skinned Ram and Krishna be Aryans, while Ravana a Brahmin as a Dravidian?
3. Why do Vedas contain references to the locations in South India; even beyond India mainland?
4. Why don't any Dravidian folk lore or ancient texts or sayings or stories or epics exist which talk about the so called Aryan invasion? 

No Mention of Europe or European rivers

According so called AIT, the earlier portions of Vedas were composed out side the India, mainly in Europe. If it is true, why none of the place outside mainland India mentioned in Vedas? As we all know rivers are sacred for Hindus so were for Vedic people. Why no european river is mentioned in Vedas like, Sarswati and Ganges?

Why This AIT? 

Then why was the Aryan Invasion Theory created? Well, more than saying created, it was popularized and promoted by the British without investigating its merits and demerits because it suited their divide and rule policy in India. The same way they divided the Hindus and Muslims in India based on religion, they also divided the Indians using this theory as Aryans (North Indians) and Dravidians (South Indians). This was the politics behind this theory.


Conclusion

• As a matter of fact early Vedic people settled in Sarswati valley long before 4000B.C.E (world creation date by Bible) and it has nothing to 1500 B.C.E date given by Max Muller. 
• Aryans and Dravidians are not separate races.
•  There is one single ancient Indian Vedic race with roots IN INDIA.
•  Indus valley civilization is NOT the most ancient Indian civilization.
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Sarswati Valley : Origin of Aryan People

Over last few decades,  the origin of Aryan people has been the subject of debate between scholars from western world and India. The basic difference is regarding the meaning of the word itself. Western world relates the word "Aryan" with master or superior race.  While for Hindus the word simply means "The Noble Ones". In 20th century with the rise of Nazism the Concept of Aryan race (Master Race) had emerged. Nazis abused the term Aryan to differentiate them from Jews. Later the term used by white groups to propagate their anti-black agenda.

False Aryan Invasion Theory   

Western world believed  that Aryans were nomadic tribes and India had never been their home land. Aryans migrated to India in 1500BCE from central Asia (Present day Iran). This so called Aryan Invasion led the decline of the advance Indus valley civilization. After invading India, Aryans pushed the native Dravidian speaking people towards south peninsula. Why Aryan Invasion Theory is Wrong?

Rigved and Aryans

The Rig Veda is the older portion of the Vedas. The Avesta (Zoroastrian) and Rig Veda are the only known ancient texts that contain references to Aryans. Since Rig Veda and ancient Sanskrit scriptures can be found with references to Aryans, many western scholars debate that the Vedic religion and the language Sanskrit itself were foreign to India. And Sanskrit might have roots somewhere hundreds miles away from India. 

Ganges is considered to be the most sacred river for Hindus, since the time no one knows. But Ganges is not mentioned in Vedas for more than couple of time, while we can find references to Sarswati river for more than 60 times. There are numerous hymns in Vedas praising river Sarswati. Sarswati river was considered to be holy and blessed one, according to Vedas. Its mentioned in rig Vedas that the river was almost 7km wide. Not to forget the fact that many excavated Indus valley cities are  found along with dried river Sarswati. 

One can clearly see the dried river bed of Sarswati, from satellite images. In first millennium BC Indian continent experienced climate change. The mighty river Sarswati changed it's course and old river bed started to drying up. Drying up of river effected the economy dependent on Sarswati. These consequences led people to move out of Indus valley. A group migrated toward east at Ganges valley, while other group moved to west (present day Iran).

One can trace cultural and genetic similarities between people of Indus valley and present day Indians. 

According to my own research I found that Aryans, Rig Vedas, Sanskrit and Vedic religion are originated in India. Lately the term Aryans and the great history of Aryans are distorted by European colonists.  If you have any valid information about Aryans kindly share with me.