Avanti
Topic: Janapadas, Mahajanapadas and the Second Urbanisation · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 4 "New Beginnings: Cities and States"; Class 12, Ch 2 "Kings, Farmers and Towns"
Meaning
Avanti was one of the sixteen mahajanapadas of c. 600 BCE. It covered the Malwa region of present-day western Madhya Pradesh. It was a monarchy, which means a hereditary king ruled it. It was one of the most powerful states of its time. Its capital, Ujjayini (modern Ujjain), stood on important land trade routes, so goods and traders passed through it. Avanti was a strong rival of Magadha until Magadha took it over.
Example
In c. 6th century BCE, King Pradyota ruled Avanti from Ujjayini, in the time of the Buddha. Ujjayini kept its importance for a long time afterwards and later became a provincial centre of the Mauryan Empire.
Don't confuse with
- Ashmaka: Ashmaka was another central Indian mahajanapada, but it lay on the Godavari, south of the Vindhyas. Avanti lay north of them.
Related concepts
- Mahajanapada
- Gandhara
- Kuru
- Kosala
- Prasenajit
- Vatsa
- Udayana of Vatsa
- Kaushambi
- Pradyota of Avanti
- Ashmaka