Question

Who were janapadas and mahajanapadas?

Answer 1

The Janapadas were the major kingdoms of Vedic India. By the 6th century B.C. there were approximately 22 different Janapadas. With the development of iron in parts of UP and Bihar, the Janapadas became more powerful and turned into Mahajanapadas. There were sixteen such Mahajanapadas during 600 B.C. to 325 B.C. in Indian Sub-continent.

• Aryans were the most influential tribes and were called as ‘janas’. This gave rise to the term Janapada where Jana means ‘people’ and Pada means ‘foot
• With the development of iron in parts of UP and Bihar, the Janapadas became more powerful and turned into Mahajanapads.
• There were sixteen such Mahajanapadas during 600 B.C. to 325 B.C. in Indian Sub-continent. There were two types of states: Monarchical and Republican.Malla, Vajji, Kamboja and Kuru were Republican states while Magadha, Kosala, Vatsa, Aanti, Anga, Kashi, Gandhara, Shursena, Chedi and Matsya were monarchical in nature.