A Legacy Unforgotten From The Kingdom Of Magadha

From the folios of Mahabharata to the ruins of time, the kingdom of Magadha has come a long way. From the rule of Jarasandha to the rule of Chandragupta Maurya, the kingdom of Magadha has seen numerous rulers controlling its land. From a flourishing kingdom to an extinct empire, Magadha has seen creations and destructions from quite a close view.

From the kingdom of Magadha; Image Source: Books Fact

Nestled in South Asia, the name India has been derived from the Indus River that flows through various states, giving life and energy to anyone who comes in contact with it. India was also known by the name of Bharata, derived from the name of a famous mythological king named Bharata, whose story is told in the pages of the famous epic, Mahabharata. India has been the culminating point of various dynasties and rulers who have either considered this country as their home or have plundered it without any regard.

Some kings made this country strong, and some colonizers destroyed this country and ripped it apart. Even after all these, India has been monikered as Bharatavarsha, living peacefully under the care of Bharata. The Indian subcontinent has been populated for about 250,000 years, making it one of the world's oldest inhabited places. Some kingdoms are as old as the history of the Indian subcontinent itself. The kingdom of Magadha has an elaborate past that is a perfect culmination of both history and mythology.

Magadha could make Alexander the Great turn away from it in fear of losing his life and army. Magadha also possessed the power to drive away the mighty Yadava clan to Dwarka. When in the hands of Jarasandha, the kingdom of Magadha flourished. Magadha's influence appears to have waned after the Kurukshetra war, since there are allusions to it being captured by a south-western neighbor, Avanti. It remained an important monarchy, though, and was one among the 16 major states of ancient India.

Though Magadha was quite prosperous and powerful for its wealth and army, the ruler of Magadha was hated for his harshness and cruelty. As discovered in some of the Buddhist texts, the king of Magadha was quite fond of hiding his wealth in the riverbed of the Ganga river. The wealth and possessions of the Nanda dynasty became so popular that the famous Chinese traveler, Hieun Tsang mentioned it in his travelogue.

From the advent of the Kikata tribe who ruled over the Magadha kingdom, the empire was passed on to the hands of various dynasties including the Haryanka dynasty, Shishunga dynasty, and Nanda dynasty. Each of these dynasties had some powerful rulers who made Magadha richer and more developed with every passing decade. Under the rule of Bimbisara and his son, Ajatashatru, the kingdom flourished. When we come to the rule of the Nanda dynasty, we don’t know much about it. It is said that Mahapadma Nanda was of low birth and was a paramour to one of the queens. After the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty died, Mahapadma Nanda went ahead and conquered all the lands under the Magadha empire.

When Alexander left for Greece, everything changed in India, making space for yet another powerful ruler to enter the subcontinent. With the entry of Chandragupta Maurya, all the kingdoms of India bowed in front of him. Soon, he entered Pataliputra and killed the mighty Nanda king. Though it isn’t easy for someone to just kill the Nanda king who might be sitting in the protection of his army men and other loyals, it is said that Chandragupta had the support of the populace and palace. The robust Magadha kingdom had spawned a much more powerful institution: the Mauryan Empire.

Though the Magadha Empire no longer exists in the realm of the Indian subcontinent, there are stories and legends of Magadha that remind us of how strong and indestructible our past was. Now in ruins, there are still people out there searching for a kingdom that existed thousands of years ago, not only in mythology but in reality.