Rajagaha
Also called: Rajgir, Rajagriha · Topic: Janapadas, Mahajanapadas and the Second Urbanisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Kings, Farmers and Towns"
Meaning
Rajagaha was the first capital of Magadha. It was in present-day Bihar, and today the place is called Rajgir. Rajagaha is the Prakrit form of the name (Prakrit means the everyday languages of the time). The name means "house of the king". It was a fortified settlement, protected by strong walls and by the hills around it. In the fourth century BCE the capital moved to Pataliputra. This was because Pataliputra controlled the travel and trade routes along the Ganga.
Example
Bimbisara and Ajatasattu were among the best-known kings of Magadha. They ruled while Magadha grew into the most powerful mahajanapada between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.
Don't confuse with
- Pataliputra (present-day Patna): the later capital of Magadha. It started as a village called Pataligrama and was built on the Ganga. Rajagaha was the older capital in the hills.
Related concepts
- Rise of Magadha
- Magadha
- Haryanka dynasty
- Bimbisara
- Ajatashatru
- Udayin
- Cyclopean wall of Rajgir
- Pataliputra
- Shishunaga dynasty
- Mahapadma Nanda