What are the 16 Mahajanapadas and their capitals?
Sophia Hammond
Updated on March 31, 2026
What are the 16 Mahajanapadas and their capitals?
16 Mahajanapadas – Facts for UPSC Exam
| 16 Mahajanapadas | Capital of the Mahajanapadas | Modern Location |
|---|---|---|
| Magadha | Girivraja/ Rajagriha | Gaya and Patna |
| Kasi/Kashi | Kasi | Banaras |
| Vatsa | Kausambi | Allahabad |
| Kosala | Shravasti (northern), Kushavati (southern) | Eastern Uttar Pradesh |
What do you know about 16 Mahajanapadas?
The 16 Mahajanapadas were Anga, Magadha, Kosala, Kasi, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Avanti, Surasena, Asmaka, Gandhara and Kambhoja.
What are the 16 Mahajanapadas of 6th century BC?
Around sixth century BC, the territories of sixteen Mahajanapadas got clearly marked. These included Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji or Vriji, Malla, Chedi or Cheti, Vamsa or Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machcha or Matsya, Surasena, Assaka or Ashmaka , Avanti, Gandhara & Kamboja.
Is Taxila a Mahajanapada?
The Janapadas and Mahajanapadas represent the state system of 600BC….List of Ancient Janapadas and Mahajanapadas.
| Janapadas & Mahajanapadas | Capital | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Gandhara | Taxila | Covered the western part of Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. |
Which is the only Mahajanapada in South India?
1. The correct answer is Narmada and Godavari. Assaka or Asmaka was a Mahajanapada according to Buddhist texts or Janapada according to Puranas of ancient India. Asmaka Mahajanapadas situated in the southern part of India between the rivers Narmada and Godavari.
Which was the capital of Anga?
Malinipuri
Anga/Capitals
Who ruled Mahajanapadas?
The dynasty was founded by king Bhattiya, the father of Bimbisara. The dynasty ruled over Magadha from 6th century BCE to 413 BCE. Bimbisara: Bimbisara ruled over Magadha for 52 years, starting from around 544 BC to 492 BC.
How many janpad are there in India?
The Janapadas were the major kingdoms of Vedic India. By the 6th century B.C. there were approximately 22 different Janapadas….Shakeel Anwar.
| Name of the Mahajanapada | Capital | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kashi | Varanasi | Located in the region around Varanasi (modern Banaras). |
Which state among sixteen Mahajanapadas was successful in founding an empire?
Magadhan Empire: The Magadha Empire ruled in India from 684 BC- 320 BC. It is also mentioned in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. It was the most powerful amongst the sixteen mahajanapadas. The empire was established by king Brihadratha.
Who ruled Janapadas?
In the Vedic samhitas, the term jana denotes a tribe, whose members believed in a shared ancestry. The janas were headed by a king. The samiti was a common assembly of the jana members, and had the power to elect or dethrone the king. The sabha was a smaller assembly of wise elders, who advised the king.
Who destroyed takshila?
the Huns
When these routes ceased to be important, the city sank into insignificance and was finally destroyed by the Huns in the 5th century ce. Taxila was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.
