The Kuninda Kings of Srughana Region Time (around 175 BCE to 77AD)
History of Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) - Part 45
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-42
Political, Religious, Economical and Historical Characteristics of Kunindas/Kulindas Rule in Uttarakhand (200BCE-400AD) -2
(All the History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral)
By: Bhishma Kukreti
The historians do not have complete agreement about whether Kunindas kingdom was a single kingdom or the kingdoms were republican kingdoms. The historians of Saharanpur, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have certain inclination to prove that the important Kunindas/Kulindas kingdom was from their respective region.
The Kuninda /Kulinda era coins and inscriptions are found abundantly by historians. It seems that Kalkut (Kalsi) was the capital of Kunindas/Kulindas kingdom /kingdoms in the Ashoka time. However, there was shift of ruling centre from Kalkut to Srughna or today’s Sugh, Ambala district of Haryana. Sugh village or Srughna/Srughana is 38 miles western south of Kalkut/Kalsi at Yamuna river bank.
Ashoka built a Stupa in Srughna/Srughana (Buddhist record of ...). There were also more Stupas nearby.
Coins of Srughna/Srughana kingdom
The historians found coins of Srughna/Srughana time from Sugh. The coins are related to three kings- Agaraj, Valbhuti and Amoghbhuti. In the silver and copper coins, Amoghbhuti is called the king of Kuninda/Kulinda.
The historians found other seven other Kuninda/Kulinda coins those proof that the ruling centre of Kulinda/Kuninda shifted eastern of Sugh either in Behat of Saharanpur or more eastern side.
The kings in scripted on the coins are m-g-bh-t, Shiv Datt, Shivpalit and Hari Datt. It is suggested that those kings were heirs of Amoghbhuti. The ruling time of these kings would be around beginning of first century AD.
The coins of other Kuninda/Kulinda kings Chhatreshwar, Bhanu, and Rawan are around decline of Kushan era. The coins of Kuninda/Kulinda kings - are m-g-bh-t, Shiv Datt, Shivpalit and Hari Datt are found from Almora, Uttarakhand.
Five Inscriptions of Kuninda/Kulinda kingdoms
Historians have records for five inscriptions related to Kuninda regimes –
1-Bharathut Stupa- The eastern column was built by Vatsitanay Dhanbhuti . Dhanbhuti was son of Kautsi tanay Agraraj and grandson of Gargi Tanay Vishvadev
2-Bharathut Stupa (vatanmar door)-contemporary king Agraraj built the column.
3-Bharathut Stupa (The donation plate shows)- Nagrakshita is wife of Dhanabhuti I.
4-Bharathut Stupa (donation plate) shows that Baghpal/vridhpal was son of Dhanabhuti
5-Mathura Stupa shows that Dhanbhuti II donated /built Vedika, clumn and Ratnagrih. Dhanabhuti II was son of Vridhpal and grandson of Dhanabhuti I.
The Kuninda Kings of Almora of Srughana Dynasty
The Almora coins and Stupa inscriptions suggest following Almora kings of Srughana dynasty (150 BCE) (Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas 3rd, page 159 and supported by Dinesh Saklani).
--------Names from Inscription------------------King name on Coins-----------------Relation with earlier King
SN ------King--------------------------------Queen --------- ------King on Coins—
1---------? ------------------------------------Gagi/Gargi--- ------- -----------------
2- Visdev (Vishwdev)-----------------------Goti/Kautsi/Gopti---------- ------------------------Son
3-Agraju(Agraraj)---------------------------Vachhi (Vatsi) --------------Agraj -------------------------Son
4-Dhanbhuti (I)---------------------------- Vachhi, Nagrakshita---------------- ----- -------Son
5- Vadhpal (Vudhpal)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Son
6-Dhanbhuti II -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Son
7-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Valbhuti -------------------?
8- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Amoghbhuti ----------------?
8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------M.G Bh . T--------------------?
9----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shiv Dat--------------------?
10--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shivdatt------------------?
---------------------------------------------------------------Hari-t--------------
11--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shivpali
12----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shivpalit --------------?
Dabral provides chronology of Kings of Kuninda Era
Founder of Srughna Kingdom of Kunindas
There is no record found for the founder of Srughna kingdom. Gargi might be his wife.
Vishvadev
In old time or even just decades back if a father had two wives the sons were recognized by their mother as in Mahabharata, Nakul was called Madriputra (Son of Madri ), Arjun was called kunti Putra. There is no mention of father of Vishvadev on coins but his mother name is given as Gargi/Gagi.
The queen of Vishvadev was Gauti or Kautsi.
Agraraj
Agraraj was the son of Vishvadev-Kautsi. Vachhi or vatsi was his queen. The coins of Agraraj were found in Srughn (Sugh, Ambala) and Kaushambi. It seems Agraraj developed his father’s kingdom.
There was instability and higgledy-pigledy in Indian scenes at the time of Agraraj.
Greek Attack- This was the time that Greek invaders Demetrius and Menander attacked India and reached to Patliputra. As per history writing by Ptolemy, Greek rule was also on Kulindrain (Kuninda/Kulinda) with Patal, Saurashtra, Abhir, Gandhar, and Kashmir. It seems Greek invaders rules over Kuninda/Kulindas (Uttarakhand, Himachal, Saharanpur and parts of Haryana) for fifteen years. Greeks were cruel and they destroyed the self esteem symbols of Indians. They killed man in laksh and there was hsoratge of males in the territory. One man had to marry more than sixteen women for saving social structure. There was acute draught famine in this Age. Thousands of people died.
Kuninda under Shunga- Shunga threw Greeks from Kuninda territory and rules over there for some time. The brick coin found in Dehradun shows that Shunga had representative as governor. The script is as of Shunga scrip and states ‘Bhadramitrasya Dronighate’. Bhadramitra might have been a shunga representative.
It seems that Greek invaded Kuninda t the beginning of Agraraj rule and left t the last years of of his rule.
Dhanbhuti first
Dhanbhuti first of Kunindas/Kulindas seems to be the contemporary of Pushyamitra Shangu. Cunningham suggests the time of Dhanbhuti I rule from 240-220 BCE.. However, with various calculations and logical arguments Dabral criticized and suggests that Dhanbhuti I rule was from 160-140 BCE. Dabral seems to be right.
Prosperity and peace- The area gained prosperity after Greek invasion and could wipe out the losses happened in the time of Greek. Srughna was main centre of business and was Mandi or connecting centre for business among other Indian kingdoms. Srughna became the centre for connecting India with western Asia. The rise and development of mercantile communities was on the rise.
The Buddhism had protection from the Dhanbhuti king and flourished at this time. Dabral states that this was Golden Period of Kuninda/Kulinda era of Srughna territory.
Family of Dhanbhuti- Mother of Dhanbhuti was from Vachhi or Vatsa family. Dhanbhuti first had two wives – Vatsi and Nagrakshita . Vadhpal or vridhpal was son from Vatsi. Nagrakshita did not have any issue.
Perhaps, the birth place of Nagrakshita was in Morgiri near Ahobhang .
Nagrakshita became Sanyasin (ascetic). Her mother’s name was Chakmochika who also became Sansyasin. The name of brother of Nagrakshita was Nagil or Nagrakshit.
Nagrakshit that is brother of Nagrakshita had very high reputation as he is called Bhadant in inscription. Nagrakshit, Chakrmochika and Nagrakshita donated and their names are mentioned in donation sheets.
Vridhpal or Vudhpal
Dhanbhuti first was father of Vridhpal or Vudhpal. Vudhpal along with his father Dhanbhuti first donated for Bharhut Stupa’s further construction works. It seems Dhanbhuti had long ruling time.
Dhanbhuti second (II)
Dhanbhuti second (II) donated for Mathura Stupa construction. The coins of Kuninda era the son of Dhanbhuti second (II) were also found in Mathura. That means Mathura was near to Srughna border.
Balbhuti
There are no Kuninda coins of Dhanbhuti first, Vridhpal and Dhanbhuti second. In other words, till Dhanbhuti second Kuninda of Srughana region was under Shunga regime or Kuninda kings were Shunga governors. It seems that there was weakening of Shunga ruling and Balbhuti the son of Dhanbhuti second became partially or totally free from Shunga of Pataliputra. Cunningham found the coins of Balbhuti. The coins are manufactured on the pattern of coins of Jyesthmitra of Shunga dynasty.
****The Kuninda Kings of Srughana Region Time (around 175 BCE to 77AD) to be continued in History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -46
Political, Religious, Economical and Historical Characteristics of Kunindas/Kulindas Rule in Uttarakhand –to be continued…3
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 17/05/2013
(The write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -46
Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas- to be continued…43
References and Further Reading Suggestions:
Ajaya Rawat, History of Garhwal
Alexander Cunningham, 1996, Coins of Ancient India: From Earliest times down to the Seventh century
Alexander Cunningham, Archeological Survey of India Report, XIV
Badri Datt Pandey, 1937, Kumaun ka Itihas, (second edition.) Shyam Prakashan, Almora (page 155-179)
B.P. Kamboj, 2003, Early Wall painting of Garhwal
C.M Agarwal , History of Kumaon
Dabral, Shiv Prasad, 1968, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-2, (pages117 to321), Veer Gath Press, Dogadda, India
Dabral, Shiv Prasad, 1992, Kulinda Janpada
Michael Mitchiner, 1976, Indo Greek and Indo Scythian Coinage vol./79 page 617/632
Dinesh Prasad Saklani, 1998, Ancient Communities of the Himalayas
D.D Sharma, 2009, Cultural History of Uttarakhand
D.P Agarwal, Jeewan Singh Kharakwal, 1995, Cist Burials of the Kumaun Himalayas
D.P Agarwal, J Kharakwal, 1995, Kumaon Archeology and Tradition, Almora Book, Almora
Gyan Swarup Gupta, 199, India: From Indus Valley civilization to Mauryas
G.P. Singh, 2008, Researches into History and Civilizations of Kiratas
Hari Krishna Raturi, 1921, Garhwal ka Itihas
Imana Simha Cemjonga, 2003, History and Culture of Kirat People
Jagdish Bahadur , 2003 Indian Himalayas
J.C. Agarwal, S.P.Agarwal, S.S. Gupta, 1995, Uttarakhand: Past, Present and Future
John Whelpton, 2005, History of Nepal (page 22 , Khasa)
Khadak Singh Valdiya , 2001, Himalaya: Emergence and Evolution , Uni Press, Hyderabad, India
Khemanand Chandola, 1987 Across the Himalaya through Ages: a study of relations between Central Himalayas and Westren Tibet
K.P.Nautiyal, B.M. Khanduri, 1997, Him Kanti (page 85 for Khasa)
Kanti Prasad Nautiyal, 1969, The Archeology of Kumaon including Dehradun
K.P Nautiyal, B.M. Khanduri, 1991, Emergence of Early culture in Garhwal, Central Himalaya
Nautiyal, K.P. B.M. Khanduri, 1991, Kuninda coins from Athoor, Tehri Garhwal, central Himalaya,JNSI, Volume-LIII, parts 1 and 2
Lalan Ji Gopal and Vinod Chandra Shrivastava , History of Agriculture in India (up to 1200AD(article of Dr K.P Nautiyal et all – Agriculture in Garhwal Himalayas o to 1200AD, page 162)
Maheshwar Prasad Joshi, 1990, Uttaranchal (Kumaon-Garhwal) : An Essay in Historical Anthropology, Shri Almora Book, Almora
Maheshwar Prasad Joshi, 1989, Morphogenesis of Kunindas, Cir 200B.C.-cir A.D.300
Mathpal, Yashodhar, 1998, Kumaon Painting: A Story of Living Tradition of Painting in Kumaon
Minyan G. Singh, 199, Wooden temples in Himachal
M.C.Joshi, 1978, the Khasas in the History of Uttarakhand, Swasti Sri, edited by K.V.Ravi , p.10),ND
M.S. S Rawat (editor), Himalaya: a Regional Perspective
Mamta Chaudhari, 1977 Tribes of Ancient India
Narendra Singh Bisht and T. S Bankoti, 2004, Encyclopedic Ethnography of the Himalayan Tribes (Page for Khasa – 736)
Dr. Naval Viyogi, Professor M A Ansari, 2010 History of the Later Harappans and Shilpkara Movement (two volumes) Kalpaz Publication, Delhi, India
Nitya Nand Mishra, 1994, Sources Materials of Kumauni History, Shri Almora Book Depot.
O.C. Handa, 2003, History of Uttaranchal (Page 22 for Khashas)
O.C. Handa, 2009, Art and Architecture of Uttarakhand
O.P Kandari and O.P Gusain, 2001, Garhwal Himalaya (Pages for Khasa- 309/360)
Parmannad Gupta, 1989, Geography from Ancient Indian Coins and Seals
Prem Hari Har Lal, 1993, The Doon valley Down the Ages, Dehradun, India
R.C. Bhatt, K.P. Nautiyal, 1987-88Trans Himalayan Burials, visa vis Malari, an Assessment, JOSHARD, Vol11-12 (pp 95-101)
R.C. Naithani, 1999, Radiant Himalayas,
Ram Naresh Pandey (A.S.I), Ancient and Medieval History of Western Nepal
S S.S. Negi, Back and beyond, Garhwal Himalaya: Nature, Culture and Society
S.S.S. Negi, Himalayan Rivers, lakes and Glaciers
Sukhdev Singh Charak, 1979, History and Culture of Himalayan states
Savita Saxena, 1995, The geographical Surveys of Puranas
Surendra Singh, 1995, Urbanization in Garhwal Himalaya: a geographical Interpretation
Upinder Singh, 2008, History of Earlier and Medieval India.
Vishwa Chandra Ohri, 1980, Himachal Art and Archeology, State Museum, Shimla , Pages 3,5 and 65)
H. Sarkar, A.Banerji 2006, Hari Smriti , Chapter ‘ The Kunindas and their Archeology in Garhwal Himalaya (pages-391-398).
Uma Prasad Thapliya, 2005, Uttaranchal: Historical and Cultural Perspectives
Http://www.thefreeliberary.com/cist +burial+Himalayas-a017422774
New cultural Dimension in the Central Himalayas, region of Uttarakhand, an Archeological assessment:
http://opar.unior.it/664/1/5/Annali 1986 (f1)K.p.nautiyal-B.M.Khanduri
Carleton Stevens Coon, 1962, The Origin of Race
C.S. Coon, The Races of Europe
Uttar Pradesh District gazetteers, 1989, Volume-23
Plant, Richard, J., 1979, Greek, Semitic, Asiatic Coins and how to read them
R.C Majumdar, Ancient Colonies in the Far East
Shiv Pad Sen, 1988, Sources of History of India, Volume -5
Vishwa Chandra Ohri, 1980, Himachal Art and Archeology
World Archeological Bulletin, 1989.p 18
Radheshyam Chaurasiya, 2002, History of Ancient India: Earliest time to 1000 AD
R.K. Nehra, 2010, Hinduism and Its Military Ethos
Chapters on African Presence in Early Asian Civilizations: A Historical Overview, Journal of African Civilizations, August 1995, Vol .X No.X pages 21-121
Radha Kumud Mukarji, 1988, Chandragupta Maurya and his Time
Om Gupta, 2006, Encyclopedia of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
Edward James Rapson, 1923, Cambridge History of India (7 Volumes)
Almoda ki Shan Hain:Kunindake Sikke (Reference of Almora Museum in charge Manju Tiwari and Mohan Singh Gadiya,)
www.himvan.com Additional References for Neo Kunindas/ Kulinda Era
Molu Ram Thakur, 1997, Myths, Rituals and beliefs in Himachal Pradesh page 18
Ptolemy, Vol.1
Prasanna Bundela, 2003, Coin Splendor: A Journey into Past , page 105-108nwards
Ashok Kumar Bhattacharya ET all, 1994, Foundation of Indian Musicology, page 157
Raj Kumar, 2010, Early History of Jammu, page 498
S.K Sharma, 2006, Haryana: Past and Present, page 51-53
Shastri, K.A.N, 1988, Age of the Nandas and Mauryas
Bharcava, Purushottam, 1996, Chandragupta Maurya
Gergal Tania, Michael Wood, 2004, Alexander the Great
Bose, S.C.1968, Land and People of the Himalayas
Various Sanskrit Literatures, Jatakas,
Romila Thapar, 1966, A History of India, volume- one
Om Chanda Handa, 1994, Buddhist Art and Antiquates of Himachal Pradesh (Page 197)
Devendra Handa, 2007, Tribal Coins of Ancient India, page 55
Pargitar, Dynasties of Kali Age (Listings of Pauranik kings-Shungas)
Raychaudhri , 1953,political History of Ancient India
R.Mitra, 1880, Aintiques of Orisa
A.Cunningham 1914, Coins of Alexander’s successors in East
V.Smith, 1906, catalogues of coins in Indian Musium Calcutta.
Tran, W.W. 1951, The Greeks in Bactria and India
Epigraphia Indica
Yazdani, A. (edit), The early History of Deccan
Aiyangar, P.T.S., 1929, History of Tamils, to 600 AD
Pillai, K.N.S., 1932, Chronology of Early Tamils
N.P Chakravarti, India and central Asia
Stein, A., 1907, Ancient Khotan
Stein, A., 1921, Serindia
Augustine P.A, 1991 Social equity in Indian Societies (page 49)
Magil,F.N., 2013,Anccient World: Dictionary of World bibliography, volume -1, page 719
Banerjee, G.N., 1995, Hellenism in India
Kulke, Hemanat, D. Rothermund, 2004, A History of India (page 73)
Thapar, Romila, 1990, A History of India volume -1
Thapar, Romila, 2004, Early India,
B.K.Chaturvedi, 2004, Bhavishya Puran
Rivett-Camac,J.H, 1880, Memorandum on coins of Sunga Dynasty
Jha, D.N. Early India: A Concise History, page 150
Elliot and Dowson, 1969, History of India as Told by its own Historians
Alexander Cunningham, The Ancient Geography of India
Alexander Cunningham, Bharhut Stupa gatha (article ofby Neeraj KumarJain, edited by Ramnarayan Singh Rana)
Wilson, H.H., Summary review of the Travels of Hiouen Thsang , from the Translation of the Si-yu-Ki by M.Julien …Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland vol.17 page January 1860 reprinted 2011
Xuan Zang ,1884 Si-yu- Ki: Buddhist Records of Western world page 187
Imperial Gazetteers of Indian Provincial Series, Punjab, Volume II 1908
William Soothill, 1995, A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms page -359