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Daradas were an ancient people who lived north and north-west to theKashmir Valley. This kingdom is identified to be theGilgit region, in theGilgit-Baltistan region (part of ancientkamboja kingdom andBaloristan[1][2]) along the riverSindhu orIndus. They are often spoken along with theKambojas. ThePandava heroArjuna had visited this country of Daradas during his northern military campaign to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuya sacrifice. The country of Darada has also been mentioned in theRasa Ratna Samucchaya, a book dealing aboutRasasastra
All the above references locate the Daradas in Uttarapatha as neighbors to Kambojas ofKashmir-Nuristan.
Sabha Parva ofMahabharata attests thatArjuna had led a digvijaya expedition against theKashmiras, Ursas, Abhisaras, Sinhapuras, Suhmas, Daradas,Kambojas,Bahlikas, Lohas,Rishikas andParama Kambojas etc.[5]
Drona Parva of Mahabharata attests thatKrishna had vanquished the Daradas along withAnga,Vanga,Magadha,Kasi,Kosala, Vatsa, Garga, Karusha, Pundra,Avanti, Daserka,Kashmira, Ursa, Madugalas,Kambojas, Pisachas, Malavas,Sakas,Yavanas etc.[6]
The Daradas along with numerous other tribes from northwest had including the Bahlikas, Kiratas, Pahlavas, Paradas, Kambojas, Shakas, Yavanas, Trigartas, Kshudrakas, Malavas, Angas, Vangas etc. had joined Yudhishtra at hisRajasuya ceremony and brought him numerous gifts.[7]
Daradas had also participated in the Kurukshetra war fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas. They are variously listed with Sauviras, Bahlikas, Shakas, Yavanas, Pahlavas, Paradas, Kekayas, Kambojas, Madras, Mlecchas, northern and westerner tribes etc.[8]
Brahmanda Purana refers to the horses from Darada country.[9]
The Daradas are mentioned with theShakas,Yavanas,Paradas and theKambojas in the 6th-century AD Brhatsamhita of Varahamihira.[10] They are also mentioned with the Abhisaras in the same text as living on the borders ofKashmir.[11]
The Daradas are mentioned in theTibetan chronicleDpag-bsam-ljon-bzah (The Excellent Kalpa-Vrksa), along people like theYavanas,Kambojas,Tukharas,Hunas,Khasas etc.[12]
According to ancient textRajatarangini ofKalhana, aSanskrit text from the north, kingLalitaditya Muktapida ofKashmir undertakes to reduce his neighbouring countries. He launches war expedition onto the region of north from Kashmir and first he fights with theKambojas[13] and deprives them of their horses. Immediately after the Kambojas, he meets theTukharas. Tukharas do not give him fight, but run away even abandoning their horses in the field.[14] Then Lalitaditiya meets the Bhauttas inBaltistan in westernTibet north of Kashmir,[15] then the Dardas inKarakorum/Himalaya,[16] the Valukambudhi[17] and then he encountersStrirajya,[18] theUttarakurus[19] and thePragjyotisha respectively.
Kalhana names several Darada rulers:Acalamangala, during the reign of Ananta ofKashmir, AD 1028 to AD 1063,[20]Vidhyadhara Shahi during the reign of Harsa, 1089–1101 AD,[21]Jagaddala during the reign of Uccala, AD 1101 to AD 1111,[22]Manidhara during the reign of Sussala, AD 1112 to AD 1120[23]), andYasodhara during the reign of Jayasimha, AD 1128 to AD 1149.[24]
Three inscriptions on rocks along theIndus andGilgit Rivers in the southern reaches of theKarakoram provide the earliest epigraphic references to Darada kings.The first inscription is found on rocks where the present-day road between Gilgit and Skardu crosses the Gilgit River, over a bridge known as the Alam bridge, now called the Farhad bridge. The inscription is in poorKharoshthi, and Fussman has read "daradaraya", meaning "King of the Daradas".[25]The second inscription is found at Chilas Terrace, near to Chilas village along the Indus River, south of the junction of the Gilgit River and the Indus River. It is inBrahmiscript. Hinuber has published a transliterationsrir daranmaharajavaisrava, which he interprets as daran-maharaja "great king of Daran" or "great king of the Daradas" (1989:57-8).A third inscription is immediately below the Thalpan bridge over the Indus River on the Thalpan side of the bridge. It is also in Brahmi script. Hinuber publishes a transliteration ofdaratsu maharaja sri vaisravanasena ssatrudamanah, which he translates as "The glorious Vaisravanasena, the subduer of enemies, great King in the land of the Daradas" (1989:59). Hinuber has interpreted theseBrahmiinscriptions as referring to the same king Vaiaravanasena, and dates them to the 4th or 5th centuries AD. He remarks that this king "is the second oldest king of the Daradas known by name, preceded only by thedaradaraya mentioned at Alam bridge in a Kharoshthi inscription" (1989:59). These inscriptions appear to be the only known self-reference to a Darada people.
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