Question

5. What do you understand by the Mahajanapadas ?​

Answer 1

Explanation:

Mahājanapadas:-

• The Mahājanapadas (Sanskrit: great realm, from maha, "great", and janapada "foothold of a people") were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in Northern ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE during the second urbanisation period.[2]

• The 6th–5th centuries BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history; during this period India's first large cities arose after the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was also the time of the rise of sramana movements (including Buddhism and Jainism), which challenged the religious orthodoxy of the Vedic Period.

• Two of the Mahājanapadas were most probably ganatantras (oligarchic republics) and others had forms of monarchy. Ancient Buddhist texts like the Anguttara Nikaya[3] make frequent reference to sixteen great kingdoms and republics which had developed and flourished in a belt stretching from Gandhara in the northwest to Anga in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent.

• They included parts of the trans-Vindhyan region,[4] and all had developed prior to the rise of Buddhism in India.[5]

• Archaeologically, this period has been identified as corresponding in part to the Northern Black Polished Ware culture.[6]

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Answer 2

Answer:

Mahajanapadas are mentioned in some vedic and Buddhist texts and it is form here that we derive our understanding of the term mahajanapadas .Many of the mahajanapadas came about after the smaller janapadas had joined together these were ruled by powerful kings, the basic unit of settlement was the grams or villages.