Vindhyas, the northern part had its capital at Ujjayini and the southern part had its centre at Mahishmati.[1][2]
The Avantis, the ancient people belonging to this realm, were described as mahavala (very powerful) in the
Abhiras/Yadavas, the Suras, the Karushas and the Arbudas and were described as dwelling along the Pariyatra (or Paripatra) mountains[4][5]
(a western branch of the Vindhyas).
Location
The kingdom of Avanti covered a territory which included the region around the city of Ujjayini and the section of the Narmadā river valley between Māhissatī and Maheshwar, as well as some nearby areas.[6]
Avanti was divided into a northern and a southern part by the Vindhya mountains, with the northern section, which had its capital at Ujjenī, being drained by the Sipra river as well as other streams, while the southern section was drained by the Narmadā and had its capital at Māhissatī or Māhiṣmatī.[6]
The Haihayas of Mahishmati
A silver coin of ½ karshapana from the kingdom of Avanti about 400-312 BC. Obv: Fish. Rev: empty. Dimensions: 10 x 9.32 mm. Weight: 1.7 g.
Rajagriha to protect it from an invasion led by Pradyota. He also waged war on Pushkarasarin, king of Takshashila[12] Pradyota's chief queen Gopalamata (mother of prince Gopala) was a disciple of Buddhist monk Mahakatyayana and constructed a stupa
in Ujjayini.
Pradyota had two sons, Gopala and Palaka. He was succeeded by Palaka. According to Jaina accounts Palaka ascended to the throne on the day of passing away of
Mricchakatika, Palaka was described as a tyrant who was overthrown by a popular revolt. This revolt placed Aryaka on the throne of Ujjayini. The Puranas place Nadivardhana or Vartivardhana after Aryaka. But these names are probably corruptions of Avantivardhana, the name of the son of Palaka according to the Kathasaritsagara or the son of Gopala according to the Nepali Brihatkatha. He was defeated by Shishunaga, the king of Magadha.[13]
Avanti under Magadhan rule
A copper uninscribed coin of Ujjayini
Avanti was a part of the Magadha empire during the rule of the Shaishunaga and the Nanda dynasties. During the Nanda Empire rule, Avanti became the Avantirāṭṭha[14] or the western province of the empire, with its capital at Ujjayini.[15] The Junagarh Rock inscription of Rudradaman I (150 CE) mentions Pushyagupta as the governor of the western province during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya.[16] During the reign of the next ruler Bindusara, prince Ashoka was the provincial governor.[17] After the fall of the Mauryas, at the time of Pushyamitra Shunga, his son Agnimitra was the Magadhan viceroy at Vidisha, but he ruled independent of Magadha for all practical purposes.[18]
The Malava kingdom is one of the many kingdoms ruled by the
Yadava kings in the central and western India Malwa region that are mentioned in the Mahabharata.[19] Sometimes, Avanti and Malava were described to be the same country. They were originally a western tribe, located in the Punjab region of North-west India.[citation needed] Later, they migrated to the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh states of India. In the recorded history
of India, there was a royal tribe called Malavas that were believed to be the descendants of the Malavas.
^Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 74.
^Raizada, Ajit (1992). Ujjayini (in Hindi), Bhopal: Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Madhya Pradesh, p.21
^Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). Political History of Ancient India, Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.130-1
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