Ujjain
Also called: Ujjayini · Topic: The Mauryan Empire · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 7 "The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity"; Class 12, Ch 2 "Kings, Farmers and Towns"
Meaning
Ujjain, called Ujjayini in ancient times, is a city in western Madhya Pradesh. It was the capital of the Avanti mahajanapada, one of the large early kingdoms. Under the Mauryas it became one of the empire's provincial centres and is named in Ashoka's inscriptions. It mattered because it lay on important long-distance trade routes that linked the Ganga valley with the western coast. Controlling Ujjayini helped the Mauryas control trade and collect its wealth. The city stayed important for centuries, including in the Gupta era.
Example
In the 3rd century BCE, Ujjayini was one of four Mauryan provincial centres, along with Taxila, Tosali and Suvarnagiri. All four were run from the capital, Pataliputra. Taxila, in the northwest, was the other centre known for its position on trade routes.
Don't confuse with
- Taxila: the other Mauryan provincial centre on long-distance trade routes. It was in the far northwest, while Ujjayini was in west-central India.