Pundravardhana

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Pundravardhana
unknown (?~1280 BCE)–unknown (?~300 BCE)
Location of Pundravardhana
CapitalMahasthangarh
Common languagesSanskrit
Religion
??
GovernmentMonarchy
Historical eraIron Age
• Established
unknown (?~1280 BCE)
• Disestablished
unknown (?~300 BCE)
Today part ofBangladesh
India (West Dinajpur district, West Bengal)
Part of a series on the
History of Bengal
Map of "Bengal" from Pope, G. U. (1880), Text-book of Indian History: Geographical Notes, Genealogical Tables, Examination Questions, London: W. H. Allen & Co. Pp. vii, 574, 16 maps.
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Classical Dynasties
Islamic Bengal
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Post-partition era
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Pundravardhana or Pundra Kingdom (Sanskrit: Puṇḍravardhana), was an ancient kingdom during the Iron Age period in South Asia with a territory that included parts of present-day Bogura Rajshahi, Rangpur and Dhaka Divisions of Bangladesh as well as the West Dinajpur district of West Bengal, India.[1][2][3] The capital of the kingdom, then known as Pundranagara (Pundra city), was located at Mahasthangarh in Bogra District in northern Bangladesh.

Geography[]

Coordinates: 25°30′N 81°30′E / 25.50°N 81.50°E / 25.50; 81.50 Mahasthangarh, the ancient capital of Pundravardhana is located 11 km (7 mi) north of Bogra on the Bogra-Rangpur highway, with a feeder road (running along the eastern side of the ramparts of the citadel for 1.5 km) leading to Jahajghata and site museum.[4]

Birth place of Acharya Bhadrabāhu[]

The spiritual teacher of Chandragupta Maurya, Jain Ācārya Bhadrabāhu was born in Pundravardhana.[5]

Discovery[]

Several personalities contributed to the discovery and identification of the ruins at Mahasthangarh. F.Buchanan Hamilton was the first European to locate and visit Mahasthangarh in 1808, C.J.O’Donnell, E.V.Westmacott, and Baveridge followed. Alexander Cunningham was the first to identify the place as the capital of Pundravardhana. He visited the site in 1889.[6]

Ancient period[]

According to Ashokavadana, the Mauryan empire Ashoka issued an order to kill all the Ajivikas in Pundravardhana after a non-Buddhist there drew a picture showing the Gautama Buddha bowing at the feet of Nirgrantha Jnatiputra. Around 18,000 followers of the Ajivika sect were executed as a result of this order.[7][8]

References[]

  1. ^ Hossain, Md. Mosharraf, Mahasthan: Anecdote to History, 2006, pp. 69-73, Dibyaprakash, 38/2 ka Bangla Bazar, Dhaka, ISBN 984-483-245-4
  2. ^ Ghosh, Suchandra. "Pundravardhana". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
  3. ^ Majumdar, Dr. R.C., History of Ancient Bengal, First published 1971, Reprint 2005, p. 10, Tulshi Prakashani, Kolkata, ISBN 81-89118-01-3.
  4. ^ Hossain, Md. Mosharraf, pp. 14-15.
  5. ^ Majumdar, R.C. (1971). History of Ancient Bengal (1971 ed.). Calcutta: G.Bharadwaj & Co. pp. 12, 13.
  6. ^ Hossain, Md. Mosharraf, pp. 16-19
  7. ^ John S. Strong (1989). The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 232. ISBN 978-81-208-0616-0. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. ^ Beni Madhab Barua (5 May 2010). The Ajivikas. General Books. pp. 68–69. ISBN 978-1-152-74433-2. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
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