1. AIHOLE near Badami with rock cut and structural temples
of Western Chalukya period, is favous for the temples of Vishnu, Ladkhan and
Durga. It furnish examples of a well developed Deccan style
of architecture.
The other three styles of ancient India being Nagar Dravidian and Vesara. It is
also famous for its inscription or Prasasti composed by Ravikirti, the court
poet of Pulkesin II. This prasasti mentions the defeat of Harsha by the
Chalukya king, Pulkesin II, a r rare event of a Northern emperor or ruler being
defeated by a ruler south of Narmada.
2. ACHICHHATRA identified with modern Ramnagar in Bareily
district of U.P. was the capital of North Panchala in the first half of first
millennium B.C. Exacavation grove that it had moats and ramparts around it, it
has revealed terracottas of the Kushan period, and also remarkable siries of
coins of second century A.D. Its importance lies in the fact that it was on the
important ancient Indian northern trade route linking Taxila and Inidraprastha
with Kanyakubaj and Sravasti, Rajgriha and Pataliputra indicating that trae
could be one of the reasons for its prominence.
3. AJANTA near Aurangabad (Maharashtra), is famous for
wonderful Buddist caves, and also paintings probably executed only b the
Buddhist monks. Paintings of exceptional skill belong to the period between 2nd
century B.C. and 7th Century A.D. One of the cave well depicts the reception of
a Persian mission in the Chalukya court of Pulkasin II indicating cultural and
commercial contacts with the Persian empire.
4. ANUPA in Narmada valley mentioned in the Nasik
inscription (dated 115 A.D.) of Gautami Balasri, mother of the Satvahana ruler
Sri Satakarni (Circa 72-95 A.D.) was conqured bythe latter from the sakas, and
was a bone of contention for long between the Sakas and the Satvahanas. The
sakas were responsible for driving the Satavahanas. Into the south -eastern and
western direction. In other words, Anupa signifies the earlier homeland of the
Satvahanas.
5. APARNTAKA (Aparanta), identified withk Konkan, i.e. North
western region of the Deccan, was a bone of contention between the sakas and
the Satavahanas and is mentioned in Nasik Inscription (dated circle 155 A.D.)
of Gautami Balasri. Gautamiputa stakarni conquered it from theSakas. According
to the Mahavamsa, the third Buddhist council deputed Great elder
Dharamarakshita to do missionary work in Aparantaka region. Literacy evience
locates the Abhiras in this region, who probably were responsible for identifying
Lord Krishna as the diety of cowherd and milk-maids.
In matters relating to trade and commerce it was famous for
the production of cotton textiles in ancient times and ated, as the hinterland
for the ancient ports of Bharukachechha and Sopara.
6. ARIKAMEDU near Pondicherry, known to the periplus as
podoka, wa port of call in Sangam Times (200 B.C.) on the route of Malaya and
china. Recent excavation during which a veryrich treasure of Roman beads, glass
and coins, and of Roman and south Indian Pottery were found have proved that it
was once a prosperous settlement of Western trading people, including the
Romans.
The favourable balance of Payments position ejoyed by India
in its trade with Rome is amply revealed by the rich haul of Roman gold coins.
7. AYODHYA also known as A-yu-te or Abhur of Saketa on the
river Sarya (Modern Ghaghra) in Faizabad district of U.P. was the earliest
capital of the Kosala Janapade and was the seat of the epic hero, Rama. It is
also known for its short Sanskrit inscription of king Dhandeva of Kosal
(belonging probably to the first century B.C.) which refers to the conducting
of two Asvamedha sacrifices by king Pushyamitra. From the economic view-point
it was located on the important trade of Tamralipti-Rajagriha-Sravasti which
passed via Ayodhya.
8. AMRAVATI near modern Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), is
famous for its stupa and as an art center flourishing under the Satavahanas and
the pallavas. Second century works of art khow mastery of stone sculpture.
Amravati bas-reliefs have the representation of ancient Indian vehicles – the
boat or the ship or the cart, and of a foreign mission (like the Ajanta cave
paintings) of marchants being received by a king. In ancient times is was an
important center of trade, and ships from here sailed to Burma and Indonesia.
It is maintained by some scholars that a human figure, for
the first time, that a marble stone relief was executed.
9. ASIKA (Probably on the left bankof the river Krishna), is
mentioned in the Nasik inscription (dated circe 115 A.D.) of Gautami Balasri,
it was conquered by the Satavahana rular Gautamiputra Satakarini (………) The
latter fact reveals that Gautamiputra Satakarni gained a stronger hold of
southern India which proved beneficial because of the continuing Saka pressure
even after his victory against the Sakas. King Kharavela of Kalinga also made a
claim of its conquest.
10. AVANTI (western Malva) one of the 16 Janapadas of 6th
century B.C. with its capital at Ujjain; struggle dhard against Magadhan
imperialism but in vain. According to Buddhist traditions, Asoka, the Mauryan
ruler, served as the Viceroy of Avanti, while he was a prince.
Since Malwa region is important politically, and
economically it became a bone of contention between the Sakas. And the
Satavahanas, Rashtrakutas and Pratiharas in ancient India. It is through this
region that the importanttrade routes from eastern and western Indian passed
Via Ujjain to the important Western ports Bharukachchha (Broach) and Soparaka
(Sopara).
11. ANGA one of the 16th Janapadas of 16th century B.C. Lay
to the east of Magadha with Champa, near Bhagalpur, as its capital. Some of the
Anga monarchas, like Brahmadatta, appear to have defeated their Magadha
contemporaries. Subsequently, however, Magadha emerged supreme leading to the
establishment of the first empire of ancient India. In other words, the
conquest of Anga by Magadha was one of the stepping stones for the Magadhan
Empire.
12. BARHUT in central Indian is famous for Buddhist Stupa
and stone railings which replaced the wooden ones in the Sunga period. Barhut
sculptures depict the visit of king Ajatasatru to the Buddha. Barhut along with
Sanchi and Bodh-Gaya represent the first organized art activity of the Indian
people as a whole. Furthermore, all these clearly indicate the transition of
sculpture from wood to stone.
13. BARYGAZA OR BHARUKACHCHA (Broach) was the oldest and
largest northern most entrepot on the mouth of the Narmada river in modern
Maharashtra. It handled the bulk of the trade with western Asia (Jataka stories
and the Periplus mention it). It was also one of the district head quarters of
the Saka rulers. According to Jain traditions, it was the capital of the Saka
empire. It was international trade that mode Barygaza important in ancient
India.
14. BARBARICUM was an important port in the Indus delta,
receiving Chinese furs and silks through Bacteria for export to the West. It
added to the growing prosperity of India in the first century A.D.
15. BADAMI (MODERN NAME FOR VATAPI) in Bijapur district was
founded by pulkesin I as an early capital of the Western Chalukyas. It as a
hill-fort and an exquisite cave temple of lord Vishnu excavated during the rule
of Manglesh, the Chalukya ruler. Huen-tsang visited it.
16. BODH-GAYA situated six miles south of Gaya in Bihar on
the western bank of the Nilajan river, was the place where the Buddha attained
enlightenement. It was part of the Magadha janapada.
17. BANAVASI (north kanara in Karnataka) also known as
Vaijayanti, was the capital of the Kadambas who were defeated by the Chalukya
king Kirtivarman during the last quarter of the 6th century A.D. According to
the Ceylonese chronicles Ashoka sent a mission to Deccan with the Monk Rkshita
who went as far as Banavasi.
18. BRAHMAGIRI in Chitaldurg district of Karnataka, is
remarkable for its continuity of cultural heritage extending from Neolithic
(stone-age culture) to megalithic (early historic culture-3rd century B.C. to
Ist century B.C. with possible links with Mediter anean and Caucasian
Megaliths) revealing ancestory worship and animism pointing to the practice of
cist and pit burials. It is the site of one of the two minor rock edicts of
Askoka. These edicts suggest the provability of Ashoka entering the Sangha as a
full monk after two and a half years of his conversion to Buddhism.
19. BURZAHOM in Kashmir Valley near Srinagar, is associated
with megalithic settlements (dating 2400 B.C.) where the people lived on a
plateau in pits using tools and weapons of stone (axe) and bones. (The only
other site which has yielded considerable bone implements is Chirand, 40 km.
West of Patna on the northern bank of the Ganges and using coarse grey pottery.
The information that we gather from the two places, recently discovered, throws
light on the proto-histroy of India).
20. BAMIYAN an important Buddhist and Gandhara Art center in
Afghanistan in the early Christian centuries, has tall rock-cut Buddha statues.
The ancient trade route linking north western India with China passed through
it. It was the capital of the Hunas in the 5th and the 6th centuries A.D.
21. BELUR with a group of Hoysala monuments including the
famous Chennakesava temple (built around 1117 A.D.) represents an art which
applies to stone the technique of the ivory worker or the goldsmith.
22. CHIDAMBARAM a town in south Arcot district in Tamilnadu
is famous for its great Hindu Siva Temple dedicated to Nataraja, i.e. Siva in
his aspects of cosmic dance. The Nataraja sculptures are esteemed as
tehgreatest specimens of sculpture in the world. Also, Chidambaram bears
evidence to the birth as well as the development of Shaivism to begin with
insouthern Indian and its consequential spread to the whole of India.
23. CHEDI OR CHETI one of the 16 Janapadas of 6th century
B.C. roughly corresponds to modern Bundelkhand and adjacent tracts. It lay near
the Kanuna, its metropolis was suktimati to Sottihivatinagar.
24. CAAMPA the capital city of the Anga Janapada on the
border of Bengal was of great commercial importance in ancient times; for it
was a river port from which ships would sail down the Ganges and the coast the
south India, returning with jewels and spices which were much in demand in the
North. By Mauryan times, with the eastward expansion of Aryan culture,
Tamralipti replaced in in importance. An interesting feature of this is the
fact that a Hindu Kingdom with the same name came into existence in the
mainland of South east Asia. Indeed it is difficult to say how exactly this
name came to be transplanted in South-east Asia.
25. DASAPURA modern Mandasor in western Malwa, was disputed
between the Sakas and the Satavahanas. Its famous Siva temple of the guild of
Silk weavers, was built during the reign of kumar Gupta I (414 A.D.-455 A.D.)
the institution that is responsible for building the Siva temple indicates the
climax of Indian trading and commercial activities in ancient Indian. It also
reveals that manufacture of silk was no longer the secret monopoly of China and
it had taken roots in India by the 5th century A.D.
26. DEVAKA modern Dokak in Nowgong district in Assam, a
frontier country which paid tribute to Samudragupta claiming the payment of
tribute by Kamarupa goes along with Devaka. However, it is to be borne in mind
that Harisena’s Prasasti is of doubtful historical validity. The one
significant thing that is known is the fact that no ruler of the northern India
could ever conquer the Assam region but instead Burma conquered it and it was
wrenched from Burma by the British in 1829 by the Treaty of Yandavoo.
27. DEOGARH in Jhansi district of U.P. is famous for its Dasvatara
Vishnu temple belonging to the Gupta period. The temple may be considered as
most respresentative and well known example of the early sikhara style of
temple architecture in example of the early sikhara style of temple
architecture on the panels of its walls. Deogarh is one the temples with which
began the temple architecture of India. In particular, the Shikhara is the
unique feature of the northerntemples compared to those of southern Indian.
28. DWARAKA Legends associate this place toYadavas after the
battle of Kurukshetra. According to mythology Dwaraka was destroyed by the huge
tidal wave as per the forewarning of Lord Krishna. In very recent times Dr.
S.R.Rao with the cooperation of the Department of Ocenography, did carry out
under-sea explorations. Some artifacts including stone anchors have been found
dating back to the Harappan period. The exploration is still continuing.
29. ELLORA With three distinct groups of rock-cut
architecture associated with Buddhism, Jainism and Brahmanical Hinduism, is
famous for its temple of Kailash (Siva) “an entire temple complex completely
hewn-out of the live rock in imitation of a distinctive structural form”. The
temple ws built by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (758-773 A.D.) and is one of
the most magnificent examples of Dravida architecture with its four principal
characteristic components, viz. Vimana, Mandapa, nandi mandapa and gopuram. The
Ellora sculptures are famous for their liveliness.
30. ERAN Besnagar district (Madhya Pradesh) is famous on
account of Eran Inscriptions dated 510 A.D. This inscription mentions the
practice of Sati, first of its kind. It is also famous for its colossal board,
the zoomorphic incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
31. ELEPHANTA beautiful little island off Bombay, with latest
cavetemples in Ellora style was famous for their sculpture, especially the
great Trimutti figure of Siva, emblem of the Maharashtar Govt. representing the
highest plastic expression of the Hindu concept of divinity.
32. GANDHARA with Taxila and peshwar as two capitals, in
earlier and later ancient periods was one of the 16 Janapadas (6th century
B.C.) onthenorth-western frontier of India. Under the Kushans it become a
popular center of Mahayana Buddhism and Gandhara art- Indian images both
secular and religious (the Buddha and Lord Krishna) but in long floating
garments, as is the tradition of early Greek sculpture. It was a meeting ground
for several civilizations and mercantile communities belonging to different
countries.
33. GORATHAGIRA A hill fortress on the modern Barabar hills
in the Gaya district of Bihar, was attacked by King Kharavela of Kalinga in the
8th year of his reign. This fact is known from the Hathigumpha Inscription of
king Kharavela.
34. GANGAIKOND-CHOLA-PURAM was capital city of the greatest
Chola ruler Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 A.D.) who built it after the successful
Chola military camaign upto the bank of the river Ganges in 1021-22. Currently
the city lies inruins and its enormous tankshas dried up.
35. GIRNAR hill near Janagarh in Gujarat, where a Mauryan
governor is said to have built an artificial lake, known as Sudarsana lake
which Rudradaman, the Saka ruler renovated. Rudradaman’s Sanskrit Inscription
was located here and it is the first Sanskrit inscription It had been a sacred
place to the Jainas since remote times because Jain shrines are also located
here.
36. HASTINAPURA aim district Meerut in U.P. (known as
Asandivant) was the capital of the ancient tribe of the Kurus. Later the floods
destroyed it. Recent excavations prove that the people of this region used iron
by about 700 B.C. that is the Aryans had learnt the art of making iron which
revolutionized the whole socio-economic pattern of Aryan communities. It was
this fact that lay at the base of the Economic Revolution that India passed
through between 1000 B.C. to 600 A.D. with far too many consequences like the
emergence of an empire, various kinds of guilds, brisk trade both with in and
with out the country and links with buth South-east Asia and the Roman empire.
37. HATHIGUPHA on Udaigir hill, three miles from
Bhuvaneshwar in the puri district of Orissa, is famous for an inscription in
post-ashokan character, engraved inside the elephant cave. It depicts the
meteoric and dazzling carer of Jaina king Kharavela, the 3rd ruler of the Cate
dynasty. It also refers to the building of an equeduct in Kalinga by one of the
Nanda rulers of Pataliputra. The importance of this inscription lies in the
fact that it is the first important sign-post in fixing the chronology of
ancient India.
38. HAILBID is famous for Hoysalesvara temple (Hoysala
period) designed and built by Kedoroja, the master-building of Narasimha I. The
infinite wealth of sculpture over the exterior of this temple makes it one of
the most remarkable monuments of the world. Known as Dwaramudra it was the
capital of the Hoysalas.
39. INDRAPRASTHA identified by Jain scholars with the site
around the enclosure of the Purana Oila (Delhi) one of the sites of painted
Grey Ware (10th century B.C.) finda, was the legendry capital of the Pandava
brothers of the epic Mahabharata, which they lost to the Kauravas having been
defeated in the gambling match. After the second battle of Tarain (1192) Moh.
Gauri appointed Outbuddin Aibak as his deputy at Indraprastha which became a
base for Aibak’s successful operations against north Indian states.
40. KURA one of the 16 Janapadas of 6th century B.C., was in
the neighbourhood of Delhi. Among its towns may be mentioned Indraprastha and
Hastinapur. This place clearly brings home the truth to us that Mahabharata was
not purely fictional story but some amount of historical evidence is embedded
in the story. As a matter of fact, Vasudeve Krishna is now known as a
historical personality as borne out by the writings of patanjali and other
sources of evidence.
41. KAJANGALA in Raj mahal district in Eastern Bihar, where
king Harsha (606-647 A.D.) held his court while campaigning in eastern
India.The Chiense pilgrim Huen-Tsang first saw Harsha here.
42. KAPISA It is the region near Kabul, probably Kipin as
referred to by Chineses writers. The presiding diety of the city according to
Chiense writers was zeus. The Greek god. The gold and silver coins issued by
the Greek kings have been discovered from this region in big numbers. The
Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India. These coins testify to the
growing trade links between India and Central Asia and China and also with the
Roman world. Far more important is the fact that these coins testify to the
gowing worship of Vasudeva-krishna or the Bhagavata cult which later repened as
Vaishnavism.
43. KIPIN is identified with Kapisa or Kafirstan in Kashmir.
It indicated the wide region know in earlier times as the Mahajanapada of
Kamboja. It was ruled by the Sakas, the Kushans and the Hunas in succession.
The name Kamboja reappears as the name of kamboja, an important of the mainland
of South-East Asia.
44. KAMPILYA was the capital of southern Panchalas, one of
the tribal communities of the Aryans. This fact proves that the Aryans, to
begin with in India, lived as various tribes. The tribes were in constant war
with eachother culminating in the emergence of the Magadha Empire.
45. KUSAMDHVALA (Patliputara) Gargi-Samhita alludes that in
the 2nd century B.C. the Yavanas (Indo-Bacterians) having reduced Saketa,
Panchala, and Mathura reached kusumdhvana. Demetrios, was, most probably, the
Yavana leader. He was defeated or he retired withouth fighting.
46. KASI one of the 16 Janapadas of the 6th century B.C.
with its capital of the same name. It was also called Varanasi (69). It greatly
prospered under the rule of Brahmadatta.
47. KOSAL one of the 16 janapadas of the 6th century B.C.
had three different capitals (Saketa, Ayodhya and Sravasti) in three different
periods. It region roughly corresponded to modern oudh.
48. KUSINAGAR (Kusinara ?) moder Kasia, in Gorakhpur
district in UP was a small town where the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. It
was one of the two capitals of the Mall Janapada in pre-Buddhists times. It was
visited by Ashoka and the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien.
49. KANYAKUBJA (Kanauj) on the bank of river Gangas in UP
rose to prominence during the time of Mukhar is, Harsha and Gujara-Pratiharas.
Under the pratiharas, Kanauj successfully resisted the Arabs. In the 9th
century A.D. It was disputed among the Palas of Bengal, Prathiharas, and the
Rashtrakutas. It was situated on a very important trade-route linking
north-Western regions of India with Prayaga, Kasi, Vaishali, Pataliputra,
Rajagriha, Tamralipti.
50. KAUSAMBI identified with the villagesof Kosam near
Allahabad was one of the earliest cities, so prominent that Anand, the Buddhist
monk, though it important enough for a Buddha to die in. Recent excavation it
here unearthed historically and culturally important terracotta figures. It was
built in the shape of a trapezium and was the capital of the vastse Janapada.
One of the Ashokan Pillars was located here. It was also an inscription of the
Kushan monarch.
51. KARNA-SUVARNA : refers to the region of Bengal and some
parts of Bihar and Orrisa, fuled by sasanka in the early 7th century A.D.
Harsha conquered the region from him after 619 A.D.
52. KANHERI In Thana district near Bombay, has rock cut
Chaitya shrines with elaborately decorated railings belonging to the third
century A.D. One inscription of the last great ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
Yajnasri Satakarni is found here. Kanheri Buddhist Tank inscription makes
mention of Matiemonial relationship between the Sakas and the Satavahanas. It
was the chief center of Buddhism in Rashtrakuta times. Faint traces of the art
of paintings may be traced in the caves of Kanheri.
53. KANCHI modern canjeevaram, south-west to Madras is reckoned
among the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. It was an important center of
Jaina culture in the first half of the first millennium A.D. It was one of the
south Indian kingdoms conquered by Samudragupta. It was visited by Huen-Tsang.
It rose to prominence in 7th century A.D. Under the Pallava king. It possesses
the famous Kailashnath temple (built by Pallava King Narsimhavarman – II) and
Vaikuntha perumalla (constructed sometime after the kailashnath). The
Kailashnath temple is a landmark in the development of dravida temple style
with its characteristic components-vimana, mandapa gopuram and an array of
vimanas along the walls of the court, i.e. peristyle cells.
54. KAVERIPATTANAM known as Puhar, was the Chola capital and
chief port in Sangam period (200 B.C.- 300 A.D.) with a large colongy of
foreigners. It was an important trade center. Ships sailing from here to
South-East Asia. A long poem on this Chola capital is the part of the famous
Sangam work pattupattu (Ten Idylls).
55. KURUKSHETRA near Thaneswar, to the north of Delhi in
Haryana, was the site of the great battle of Mahbharata. This battle fought
between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, formed the basis of the story of the
greatness of India epics the Mahabharata. It is in this great war that Krishna
prached his gospel of the Gita, to the Pandava hero Arjuna who saw his own
elders and kishmen arranged himself for the fith and then early decided to
renounce and retire. Krishna gave him the message of disinterested perfomance
of duty i.e. renunciation in action but no renunciation of action. That a great
war ws fought between the cousin brothers – Kauravas and Pandavas is quite
possible.
56. MANYAKHET (modern Malkhed in Hyderabad region) was the
capital of Rashtrakuta Amoghavarsha I in the 9th century A.D.
57. MAHABALIPURAM is today a tiny coastal village 65 kms.
south of Madras. This port-city was founded by Pallava king Narasimhavarman in
the 7th century A.D. Pallava kings created an architecture of their own which
was to be the basis of all the styles of the south. In fact Mahabilipuram, the
Pallava art with its monolithic temples (rathas) and rocks sculptured in the
shapes of animals with a wonderfully broad and powerful naturalism, with whole
cliffs worked in stone frescoes, immenspictures unparalleled at the time in all
Indian in their order movement and lyrical value. The Descent of the Ganges,
the unique masterpiece of Pallava art was surely one of the most remarkable
compositions of all time (in which is portrayed the Ganges coming down to
earth, with gods, animals men and all creation in adoration). The shore temple
built by Rajasimha represents one of the earliest examples of structural
temples. the Pallvava monuments at Mahabalipuram symbolize not only the
transition from rock-architecture to structural stone temples but also
significantly the completion of the “Aryanisation” of South India during the
Pallava period.
58. MADHYAMIKA is identified with Nagari near Chitor in
Rajasthan. Patanjali alludes toYavana (Indo-Bacterian) invasion of Madhyamika.
59. MUSHIKAS on the lower Indus with its capital at Alord.
Was the greatest principality at the time of Alexander’s invasion. Its king
mousikanas submitted to Alexander after brave resistance.
60. MATIPUR modern Mandawar in district Bijnor of UP was a
center of Hinayana Buddhist studies in the 6th and 7th centuries A.D.
Huen-Tsang stayed here for some time.
61. MADURAI popularly known as the city of festivals, was
the seat of the 3rd Sangam and was till the 14th century the capital of the
Pandyan kingdom which had sea-borne brade with Rome and Greece. It is famous
for the Minakshi temple.
62. MACCHA or Matsaya, was one of the 16 janapads. The
Matsyas ruled to the west of the Jamuna and south of the Kurus. Their capital
was at Viratnagar (modern Bairrat near Jaipur).
63. MALLA was one of the 16 Janapadas of the16th century
B.C. The territory of the Mallas was on the mountain slopes probably to the
north of the vijjain confederation. They had to branches with their capitals at
Kusinagar and Pawa. But in pre-Buddhist time the Mallas were a monarchy.
64. MUZIRIS modern canganors in Kerala at the mouth of the river
Periyar, an important port in Sangam period (20 B.C. – 300 A.D.) abounded in
ships with cargoes from Arabia and Roman world. Later literature speaks of
Roman settlements and a temple was built here ni honour of Augustus.
65. NAGARJUNAKONDA is Krishna Velley, harboured a Neolithic
community with stone-axe-culture and primitive mode of agriculture. With a few
classical accidental looking sculptures in proves trade and culture contacts
with the Roman world. Survival of a Buddhist stupa proves it to be a Buddhist
center in early Christian centuries. The beginning of Hindu temple architecture
in south India are best traced in the remains of the early brick temples of the
Ikshavakus excavated here anticipating the Nagara, Dravida and Vasars styles.
66. NASIK (also known as Naiskya and Govardhan) is famous
for exquisite rock-cut Buddhist temple (of the period 2nd BC – 1st A.D.) with
an engraved iscription of Gautami Balsari recording the achievement of the
Satavahanas ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni). A large board of silver coins
bearing the name, the titles of Nahapana were discovered at Jogalthambi very
close to the Nasik suggesting the defeat of the Saka ruler bythe Satavahana
knig. It is also famous for the Chaitya and Vihar as pan-du-lonea.
67. PITHUNDA on the Godavari, was the capital of the
Avapeople or the Avamukta which was conquered as Samudragupta.
68. PADMAVATI was Nag capital is Gwalior region. Its king
Ganapati Naga was defeated by Samudragupta.
69. PRATISHTHANA (Paithan) at the mouth of the river godavri
in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, was the capital of Satavahana kings.
It was an important commercial mart linked with Sravasti.
70. PURUSHPURA (modern Peshawar) was the capital of
Kanishka’s vast empire and the center of Gandhara art. It became the chief
center of Buiddhist activity and studies with building of number of huge
Chaityas and viharas and with one stupa. The Chiense pilgrims refer to a many
storied relic-tower in which some relics of Buddha were enshrined. It is here that
the icons of Buddha and other Hindu gods were first finely carved. In provided
the meeting place of the marchants of India, China, central Asia, Persia, and
the Roman world.
71. PATTADAKAL near Aihole Badami is famous for
magnificentrock-cult and sculptures temples in Chalukya and Pallava style. The
number of such temples is ten – four in the northern style and six in southern.
Most famous of these temples is lokesvara temple (now called Virupaksha).
72. PANCHALA was one of the 16 janapadas of the 6th century
B.C. Its area correspondent to modern Bundelkhand and the portion of the
Central Doab. It had two divisions northern and southern, the Ganges forming
the boundary line. Their capitals were Ahicchatra and Kampilya respectively.
One of the early Panchalas kings, Durmukha, is credited with conquests in all
directions.
73. PUSHKALAVATI i.e. the “city of lotuses’ in Afganisthan
to the north of the river Kabul (modern Charasadda) in the district of Peshawar
was conquered by Alexandar. It was the old capital of western Gandhara. A gold
coin (belonging to the 2nd century B.C.) with the city goddess (Lakshmi)
holding a lotus in her right hand and an appropriate Kharoshthi legend
“Pakhalavati devata” had been discovered here pointing to the popularity of
Indian goddess. It remained under the rule of the Indo-Greeks, the sakas and
the Kushana. It was an important link in India’s trade relations with central
Asia and China.
74. RAJAGRIHA moder Rajgir, near Patna in Bihar was and
ancient capital of Magadha under Bimbisara and Ajatsatru. It was here that
first Buddhist council was held after the death of Buddha. The cyclopean walls
of the this old commercial town are among themost remarkable finds in India.
75. SAKALA modern Sialkot, capital of Menander, was the
refuge of Buddhist monks. It was here, according to Buddhist tradition, that
Pushyamitra Sungha declared to give an award of 199 dinars for the head of a
Buddhist monk.
76. SANCHI :near Bhopal famous for a Buddhist stupa and for
one of Ashoka’s Minor Pillar Edicts. Sanchi sculptures along with Bharhut
Godh-Gaya represent the first organized art activity of the Indian People.
There are reliefs of the Jatkas on the stone walls around the stupa. Sanchi
revealed historically important inscription of the Satavahanas and the Gupta
kings. Kakanodbota probably was the ancient name for Sanchi, which was
inhabited by the tribal people Kakar, and was conquered by the Samudragupta.
76. SRAVASTI moder Saket-Mahet on the borders of the Gonda
and the Bahraich districts of U.P. On the river Rapti – It was a famous center
of trade in ancient times, from where three important trade routes emanated
linking it with Rajagriha, Pratishthana, and Taxila. It was one of the early
capitals of the Janapad of Kosal. Later, it served as the provincial
headquarters of the Gupta kings. Fa-hien visited it.
77. SAKETA region around Ayodhya, was invaded by Yavanas
(Indo-Bacterin) is attested to by Patanjali.
78. SARNATH near Varanasi, is the place where the Buddha
delivered his frist sermon in the Deer park, this event being known as the
“Turning of the Wheel of Law”. It is the site of the famous Ashokan Pillar of
Polished sand-stone whose lion capital was adopted by the people of Free India
as the state emblem. It was also the famous seat of Gupta sculpture. Gupta
plastic art reached its perfection e.g. the seated Buddha in preaching posture.
79. SRAVANA-BELGOLA in Hasan district of Karnataka, is
famous for the monolithic statue of Gometeswara- 85fit. High, erected in 980
A.D. by Chemundya Rai, the chief minister of the Ganga king Rachmal.
80. SOPARA port town known to the Periplus and ptolmey,
carried most of the ancient Indian trade with foreign countries; gradually it
began to lose its importance to Berygaza and Barharium- Ist century A.D.
onwards. It ahs survived as a village 40 miles north of Bombay.
81. TOSALI (Dhauli) near Bhuaneshwar in Puri district of
Orissa, was the seat of one of the Mauryan viceroyalties as well as one of the
fourteen major rock edicts of Ashoka. The Tosali rock edict refers only to the
conquered province.
82. TRIPURI now village near Jabalpur, was the capital of
the Kalachuri dynasty. The Kalachuri kings became independent in 10th century
A.D. In 1939, Tripuri had the distinction of being the venue of the 54th
session of Indian National congress.
83. TAMRALIPTI Tamluk in the Midnapur district of Western
Bengal was one of the most important port-towns of ancient India. Outlet to
south-east Asia when there was trade boom.
84. TANJORE is famous for Rajarajeswava or Brihadeswara
temple of lord Shiva which is the largest and tallest of all India temples with
its vimana towering to a height of nearly 200 feet over the Garbhagriha with
Pyramidal body in thirteen tiers. It was the seat of Chola government in the
9th century A.D. and later of an independent kingdom after the fall of ther
Vijayanagar Empire. Weight of the cap 80 tonnes. Conceived on a gigantic scale.
Stone relief as minute as that of jewelers.
85. THANESWAR near Kurukshetra, to the north of Delhi in
the province of Haryana, was the capital of the Pushyabhuti dynsty. The kingdom
of thanesar emerged into a powerful state under Harsha’s (606-647 A.D.) father,
Prabhakarvardhan who was in constant warfare against the Huns on the frontier
and with the rulers of Malwa. Harsha shifted his capital from Thaneswar to
Kannauj. According to Heun-Tsang the people of this city were specially
inclined to trade. Thus thanesar was a principal center of trade. It was
attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1014 A.D. it is here that ahmad Shah Abdali
first defeated the Maratha army in 1759 boding to the Maratha collapse at
Panipat in 1761.
86. UJJAIN in Madhya pradesh was the capital of Avanti (6th
century B.C.) and Chandragupta II, and was one of the provincial capitals of
the Mauryas. It was the modal point of two ancient trade routes, one from
Kausambui and the other from Mathura, its chief exports being agate, jasper and
carnelian. It has an observatory built by Maharaja Savai Jai Sing II
(1686-1743).
87. URAIYUR also known as Aragaru,on the river Kavari, was
for some time the Sangam chola capital, was famous for its pearls and muslin,
the latter being as think as the slough of the snake.
88. UTTARMERUR is a village of Tamil Nadu where nearly two
hundred inscriptions belonging to Pallava and Chola periods indicating the
nature and working of the village administration have been found. According to
Uttarmerur inscriptions Pallava and Chola villages enjoyed maximum of autonomy
inadministrative matters with popular village assemblies like the Ur, Sabha,
Mahasabha or Nagaram looking after the village affains without any interference
from royal officers. The village of Uttarmerur was divided in thirty wards.
89. VATSGULMA modern Basim in the Ahoka district in the
South of Ajanta, was the capital of a Junior branch of the Vakatakas who are
mentioned in the Ajanta cave inscriptiona No. XVI.
90. VIDISA modern Besnagar, near Bhilsa, in East Malwa, was
a part of Sunga empire with Agnimitra, the sone of Pushyamitra Sunga as
viceroy. The Vidisa guild of ivory worker was famous for these workers carved
the stone sculpture on the gateways and railings surrounding the Sanchi Stupa.
It indicates commercial prosperity. It was also famous for the Garuda Pillar
Inscription which testified its erection by a Greak ambassabor named Heliodorus
in honour of Vasudeva Krishna, the god of the Bhagavatas.
91. VAISHALI indentified with modern Basali in Muzaffarpur
district of Bihar, was apulent and prosperous town in the Buddhist period. The
second Buddhist Councial was held here. It served as the capital of lichchavis.
Later, Ajatsatru annexed it to this kingdom. Ambapali, the famous charming
courtesan, lived here and hosted to the Buddha at one time and later she became
a convert to Buddhism.
92. VENGI (in Andhra Pradesh) one of the south Indian
kingdoms probably joined the Sangha conquered by Samudragupta. It was the
capital of the eastern Chalukyas, and was disputed between the Chalukyas and
the Pallavas.
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