Pundravardhana | |
|---|---|
| unknown (?~1280 BCE)–unknown (?~300 BCE) | |
 | |
| Capital | Pundranagara Kotivarsha (administratitive centre of vishaya or division)[1] |
| Common languages | Sanskrit,Pali,Prakrit |
| Religion | Historical Vedic religion Jainism Buddhism |
| Government | Monarchy |
| Historical era | Iron Age |
• Established | unknown (?~1280 BCE) |
• Disestablished | unknown (?~300 BCE) |
| Today part of | Bangladesh India (West Dinajpur district,West Bengal) |
Part ofa series on the |
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| History ofBengal |
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Ancient kingdoms |
Modern period
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Pundravardhana orPundra kingdom (Sanskrit:Puṇḍravardhana), was an ancient kingdom ofIron Age India located in theBengal region of theIndian subcontinent with a territory that included parts of present-dayRajshahi and parts ofRangpur Division ofBangladesh as well as theWest Dinajpur district ofWest Bengal,India.[2][3][4] The capital of the kingdom, then known asPundranagara (Pundra city), was located at Mahasthangarh inBogra District of northern Bangladesh.
24°58′N89°21′E / 24.96°N 89.35°E /24.96; 89.35Mahasthangarh, the ancient capital of Pundravardhana is located 11 km (7 mi) north ofBogra on theBogra-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.[5]
According to the epicMahabharata (I.104.53–54) andpuranic literature,Pundra was named after Prince Pundra, the founder of the kingdom, and the son of KingBali. Bali who had no children, requested the sage,Dirghatamas, to bless him with sons. The sage is said to have begotten five sons through his wife, the queen Sudesna. The princes were namedAnga,Vanga,Kalinga, Pundra andSumha.[6][7]
The spiritual teacher ofChandragupta Maurya,Jain ĀcāryaBhadrabahu was born in Pundravardhana to aBrahmin family.[8]
According to 5th century legendary textAshokavadana, the Mauryan emperorAshoka issued an order to kill all theAjivikas (follower ofnāstika or "heterodox" schools of Indian philosophy) in Pundravardhana after a non-Buddhist there drew a picture showing theGautama Buddha bowing at the feet ofNirgrantha Jnatiputra(Mahavira). Around 18,000 followers of the Ajivika sect were said to have been executed as a result of this order.[9][10] According toK. T. S. Sarao andBenimadhab Barua, stories of persecutions of rival sects by Ashoka appear to be a clear fabrication arising out of sectarian propaganda.[11][12][13] Ashoka's own inscriptionsBarabar Caves record his generous donations and patronage to Ajivikas.[14]
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.[15]
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