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Indraprastha

March 26, 2023

"Indraprastham" redirects here. For the film, see Indraprastham (film).

Indraprastha (lit. "Plain of Indra"[1] or "City of Indra") is mentioned in ancient Indian literature as a city of the Kuru Kingdom. It was the capital of the kingdom led by the Pandavas mentioned in Mahabharata . Under the Pali form of its name, Indapatta, it is also mentioned in Buddhist texts as the capital of the Kuru mahajanapada. Modern historical research pin its location in the region of present-day New Delhi, particularly the Old Fort (Purana Qila).[2] The city is sometimes also known as Khandavaprastha or Khandava Forest, the name of a forest region on the banks of Yamuna river which (according to the Mahabharata) had been cleared by Krishna and Arjuna to build the city.

History

Indraprastha is referenced in the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit Indian text compiled over a period approximately between 400 BCE and 400 CE. It was one of the five places demanded for the sake of peace and to avert a disastrous war, Krishna proposed that if Hastinapur agreed to give the Pandavas only five villages, namely, Indraprastha, Swarnprastha (Sonipat), Panprastha (Panipat), Vyaghrprastha (Baghpat) and Tilprastha (Tilpat)[3][4] then they would be satisfied and would make no more demands. Duryodhana vehemently refused, commenting that he would not part with land even as much as the point of a needle. Thus, the stage was set for the great war for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all. The Mahabharata records Indraprastha as being home to the Pandavas, whose wars with the Kauravas it describes.

 
Indraprastha within the Maurya Empire

During the Mauryan period, Indraprastha was known as Indapatta in Buddhist literature. The location of Indraprastha is uncertain but Purana Qila in present-day New Delhi is frequently cited.[a][5] and has been noted as such in texts as old as the 14th-century CE.[6] The modern form of the name, Inderpat, continued to be applied to the Purana Qila area into the early 20th century;[7] in a study of ancient Indian place-names, Michael Witzel considers this to be one of many places from the Sanskrit Epics whose names have been retained into modern times, such as Kaushambi/Kosam.[8]

Location

Purana Qila is certainly an ancient settlement but archaeological studies performed there since the 1950s[b][c] have failed to reveal structures and artefacts that would confirm the architectural grandeur and rich lives in the period that the Mahabharata describes. The historian Upinder Singh notes that despite the academic debate, "Ultimately, there is no way of conclusively proving or disproving whether the Pandavas or Kauravas ever lived ...".[6] However, it is possible that the main part of the ancient city has not been reached by excavations so far, but rather falls under the unexcavated area extending directly to the south of Purana Qila.[d] Overall, Delhi has been the center of the area where the ancient city has historically been estimated to be. Until 1913, a village called Indrapat existed within the fort walls.[11] As of 2014, the Archaeological Survey of India is continuing excavation in Purana Qila.[12]

Historical Significance

Indraprastha is not only known from the Mahabharata. It is also mentioned as "Indapatta" or "Indapattana" in Pali-language Buddhist texts, where it is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom,[13] situated on the Yamuna River.[14] The Buddhist literature also mentions Hatthinipura (Hastinapura) and several smaller towns and villages of the Kuru kingdom.[13] Indraprastha may have been known to the Greco-Roman world as well: it is thought to be mentioned in Ptolemy's Geography dating from the 2nd century CE as the city "Indabara", possibly derived from the Prakrit form "Indabatta", and which was probably in the vicinity of Delhi.[15] Upinder Singh (2004) describes this equation of Indabara with Indraprastha as "plausible".[16] Indraprastha is also named as a pratigana (district) of the Delhi region in a Sanskrit inscription dated to 1327 CE, discovered in Raisina area of New Delhi.[17]

D. C. Sircar, an epigraphist, believed Indraprastha was a significant city in the Mauryan period, based on analysis of a stone carving found in the Delhi area at Sriniwaspuri which records the reign of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Singh has cast doubt on this interpretation because the inscription does not actually refer to Indraprastha and although "... a place of importance must certainly have been located in the vicinity of the rock edict, exactly which one it was and what it was known as, is uncertain." Similarly, remains, such as an iron pillar, that have been associated with Ashoka are not indubitably so: their composition is atypical and the inscriptions are vague.[6]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ For instance, Indologist J. A. B. van Buitenen, who translated the Mahabharata, wrote in 1973 that "there can be no reasonable doubt about the locations of Hastinapura, of Indraprastha (Delhi's Purana Qila [...]), and of Mathura
  2. ^ Archaeological surveys were carried out in 1954-1955 and between 1969 and 1973.[9]
  3. ^ The 1954-1955 sessions revealed pottery of the Painted Grey Ware (before c.600 BCE), Northern Black Polished Ware (c.600-200 BCE), Shunga, and Kushan Empire periods. The 1969-1973 sessions failed to reach the PGW levels, but found continuous occupation from the NBPW period to the 19th century: the Maurya-period settlement yielded mud-brick and wattle-and-daub houses, brick drains, wells, figurines of terracotta, a stone carving, a stamp seal impression, and a copper coin.[7]
  4. ^ Historian William Dalrymple quotes archaeologist B. B. Lal's suggestion, "the main part of the city must probably have been to the south – through the Humayun Gate towards Humayun's Tomb [...] where the Zoo and Sundernagar are now."[10]

Citations

  1. ^ Upinder Singh (25 September 2017). Political Violence in Ancient India. Harvard University Press. p. 401. ISBN 978-0-674-98128-7.
  2. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India (1911). Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 11. Oxford Press. p. 236.
  3. ^ "Geeta Jayanti 2019: पांडवों ने कौरवों से मांगे थे ये पांच गांव जानिए इनके बारे में". Nai Dunia (in Hindi). 5 December 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  4. ^ "इन पांच गांवों के कारण हुआ था पांडव और कौरवों में महाभारत का युद्ध | mahabharata war". hindi.webdunia.com. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. ^ J. A. B. van Buitenen; Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen; James L. Fitzgerald (1973). The Mahabharata, Volume 1: Book 1: The Book of the Beginning. University of Chicago Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-226-84663-7.
  6. ^ a b c Singh, Upinder, ed. (2006). Delhi: Ancient History. Berghahn Books. pp. xvii–xxi, 53–56. ISBN 9788187358299.
  7. ^ a b Amalananda Ghosh (1990). An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology, Volume 2. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. pp. 353–354. ISBN 978-81-215-0089-0.
  8. ^ Witzel, Michael (1999). "Aryan and non-Aryan Names in Vedic India. Data for the linguistic situation, c. 1900-500 B.C.". In Bronhorst, Johannes; Deshpande, Madhav (eds.). Aryan and Non-Aryan in South Asia (PDF). Harvard University Press. pp. 337–404 (p.25 of PDF). ISBN 978-1-888789-04-1.
  9. ^ Singh, Upinder, ed. (2006). Delhi: Ancient History. Berghahn Books. p. 187. ISBN 9788187358299.
  10. ^ William Dalrymple (2003). City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 370. ISBN 978-1-101-12701-8.
  11. ^ Delhi city guide. Eicher Goodearth Limited, Delhi Tourism. 1998. p. 162. ISBN 81-900601-2-0.
  12. ^ Tankha, Madhur (11 March 2014). "The discovery of Indraprastha". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  13. ^ a b H.C. Raychaudhuri (1950). Political History of Ancient India: from the accession of Parikshit to the extinction of the Gupta dynasty. University of Calcutta. pp. 41, 133.
  14. ^ Moti Chandra (1977). Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India. Abhinav Publications. p. 77. ISBN 978-81-7017-055-6.
  15. ^ J. W. McCrindle (1885). Ancient India as Described by Ptolemy. Thacker, Spink, & Company. p. 128.
  16. ^ Upinder Singh (2004). The discovery of ancient India: early archaeologists and the beginnings of archaeology. Permanent Black. p. 67. ISBN 978-81-7824-088-6.
  17. ^ Singh (ed., 2006), p.186

March 26, 2023
indraprastha, redirects, here, film, film, plain, indra, city, indra, mentioned, ancient, indian, literature, city, kuru, kingdom, capital, kingdom, pandavas, mentioned, mahabharata, under, pali, form, name, indapatta, also, mentioned, buddhist, texts, capital. Indraprastham redirects here For the film see Indraprastham film Indraprastha lit Plain of Indra 1 or City of Indra is mentioned in ancient Indian literature as a city of the Kuru Kingdom It was the capital of the kingdom led by the Pandavas mentioned in Mahabharata Under the Pali form of its name Indapatta it is also mentioned in Buddhist texts as the capital of the Kuru mahajanapada Modern historical research pin its location in the region of present day New Delhi particularly the Old Fort Purana Qila 2 The city is sometimes also known as Khandavaprastha or Khandava Forest the name of a forest region on the banks of Yamuna river which according to the Mahabharata had been cleared by Krishna and Arjuna to build the city Contents 1 History 2 Location 3 Historical Significance 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistory EditIndraprastha is referenced in the Mahabharata a Sanskrit Indian text compiled over a period approximately between 400 BCE and 400 CE It was one of the five places demanded for the sake of peace and to avert a disastrous war Krishna proposed that if Hastinapur agreed to give the Pandavas only five villages namely Indraprastha Swarnprastha Sonipat Panprastha Panipat Vyaghrprastha Baghpat and Tilprastha Tilpat 3 4 then they would be satisfied and would make no more demands Duryodhana vehemently refused commenting that he would not part with land even as much as the point of a needle Thus the stage was set for the great war for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all The Mahabharata records Indraprastha as being home to the Pandavas whose wars with the Kauravas it describes Indraprastha within the Maurya Empire During the Mauryan period Indraprastha was known as Indapatta in Buddhist literature The location of Indraprastha is uncertain but Purana Qila in present day New Delhi is frequently cited a 5 and has been noted as such in texts as old as the 14th century CE 6 The modern form of the name Inderpat continued to be applied to the Purana Qila area into the early 20th century 7 in a study of ancient Indian place names Michael Witzel considers this to be one of many places from the Sanskrit Epics whose names have been retained into modern times such as Kaushambi Kosam 8 Location EditPurana Qila is certainly an ancient settlement but archaeological studies performed there since the 1950s b c have failed to reveal structures and artefacts that would confirm the architectural grandeur and rich lives in the period that the Mahabharata describes The historian Upinder Singh notes that despite the academic debate Ultimately there is no way of conclusively proving or disproving whether the Pandavas or Kauravas ever lived 6 However it is possible that the main part of the ancient city has not been reached by excavations so far but rather falls under the unexcavated area extending directly to the south of Purana Qila d Overall Delhi has been the center of the area where the ancient city has historically been estimated to be Until 1913 a village called Indrapat existed within the fort walls 11 As of 2014 the Archaeological Survey of India is continuing excavation in Purana Qila 12 Historical Significance EditIndraprastha is not only known from the Mahabharata It is also mentioned as Indapatta or Indapattana in Pali language Buddhist texts where it is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom 13 situated on the Yamuna River 14 The Buddhist literature also mentions Hatthinipura Hastinapura and several smaller towns and villages of the Kuru kingdom 13 Indraprastha may have been known to the Greco Roman world as well it is thought to be mentioned in Ptolemy s Geography dating from the 2nd century CE as the city Indabara possibly derived from the Prakrit form Indabatta and which was probably in the vicinity of Delhi 15 Upinder Singh 2004 describes this equation of Indabara with Indraprastha as plausible 16 Indraprastha is also named as a pratigana district of the Delhi region in a Sanskrit inscription dated to 1327 CE discovered in Raisina area of New Delhi 17 D C Sircar an epigraphist believed Indraprastha was a significant city in the Mauryan period based on analysis of a stone carving found in the Delhi area at Sriniwaspuri which records the reign of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka Singh has cast doubt on this interpretation because the inscription does not actually refer to Indraprastha and although a place of importance must certainly have been located in the vicinity of the rock edict exactly which one it was and what it was known as is uncertain Similarly remains such as an iron pillar that have been associated with Ashoka are not indubitably so their composition is atypical and the inscriptions are vague 6 See also EditSwarnprastha Ashokan Edicts in Delhi Hastinapura History of Delhi Historicity of the MahabharataReferences EditNotes For instance Indologist J A B van Buitenen who translated the Mahabharata wrote in 1973 that there can be no reasonable doubt about the locations of Hastinapura of Indraprastha Delhi s Purana Qila and of Mathura Archaeological surveys were carried out in 1954 1955 and between 1969 and 1973 9 The 1954 1955 sessions revealed pottery of the Painted Grey Ware before c 600 BCE Northern Black Polished Ware c 600 200 BCE Shunga and Kushan Empire periods The 1969 1973 sessions failed to reach the PGW levels but found continuous occupation from the NBPW period to the 19th century the Maurya period settlement yielded mud brick and wattle and daub houses brick drains wells figurines of terracotta a stone carving a stamp seal impression and a copper coin 7 Historian William Dalrymple quotes archaeologist B B Lal s suggestion the main part of the city must probably have been to the south through the Humayun Gate towards Humayun s Tomb where the Zoo and Sundernagar are now 10 Citations Upinder Singh 25 September 2017 Political Violence in Ancient India Harvard University Press p 401 ISBN 978 0 674 98128 7 Imperial Gazetteer of India 1911 Imperial Gazetteer of India v 11 Oxford Press p 236 Geeta Jayanti 2019 प डव न क रव स म ग थ य प च ग व ज न ए इनक ब र म Nai Dunia in Hindi 5 December 2019 Retrieved 2 September 2020 इन प च ग व क क रण ह आ थ प डव और क रव म मह भ रत क य द ध mahabharata war hindi webdunia com Retrieved 2 September 2020 J A B van Buitenen Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen James L Fitzgerald 1973 The Mahabharata Volume 1 Book 1 The Book of the Beginning University of Chicago Press p 12 ISBN 978 0 226 84663 7 a b c Singh Upinder ed 2006 Delhi Ancient History Berghahn Books pp xvii xxi 53 56 ISBN 9788187358299 a b Amalananda Ghosh 1990 An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology Volume 2 Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers pp 353 354 ISBN 978 81 215 0089 0 Witzel Michael 1999 Aryan and non Aryan Names in Vedic India Data for the linguistic situation c 1900 500 B C In Bronhorst Johannes Deshpande Madhav eds Aryan and Non Aryan in South Asia PDF Harvard University Press pp 337 404 p 25 of PDF ISBN 978 1 888789 04 1 Singh Upinder ed 2006 Delhi Ancient History Berghahn Books p 187 ISBN 9788187358299 William Dalrymple 2003 City of Djinns A Year in Delhi Penguin Publishing Group p 370 ISBN 978 1 101 12701 8 Delhi city guide Eicher Goodearth Limited Delhi Tourism 1998 p 162 ISBN 81 900601 2 0 Tankha Madhur 11 March 2014 The discovery of Indraprastha The Hindu Retrieved 14 March 2014 a b H C Raychaudhuri 1950 Political History of Ancient India from the accession of Parikshit to the extinction of the Gupta dynasty University of Calcutta pp 41 133 Moti Chandra 1977 Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India Abhinav Publications p 77 ISBN 978 81 7017 055 6 J W McCrindle 1885 Ancient India as Described by Ptolemy Thacker Spink amp Company p 128 Upinder Singh 2004 The discovery of ancient India early archaeologists and the beginnings of archaeology Permanent Black p 67 ISBN 978 81 7824 088 6 Singh ed 2006 p 186 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indraprastha amp oldid 1145797091, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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