Waithali Kingdom ဝေသာလီ | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 370 AD[1]–818 AD | |||||||||||||||
 Arakan coins from Vesali period showing theShrivatsa symbol | |||||||||||||||
| Status | Kingdom (Part ofChandra Dynasty) | ||||||||||||||
| Capital | Waithali | ||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Arakanese,Sanskrit | ||||||||||||||
| Religion | Mahayana Buddhism,Hinduism | ||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||
• Founding of Dynasty | 370 AD[1] | ||||||||||||||
• End of kingdom | 818 AD | ||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | Myanmar Bangladesh | ||||||||||||||
TheWaithali Kingdom (Rakhine:ဝေသာလီ also known asVesali) was an ancientArakanese kingdom that flourished in theArakan region of present-dayRakhine State,Myanmar, andChittagong Division ofBangladesh from approximately 370 AD to 818 AD.[2] Established as a successor to theDhanyawadi Kingdom, Waithali is also one of the mostindianized Arakanese kingdom bridging South and Southeast Asia through trade and religious exchange.[3]
Following the decline of Dhanyawadi, Rakhine's power center shifted to Vesali, ushering in an early Golden Age for the region. During this period, Vesali's influence extended across theKaladan andLemro River valleys and reached as far asChittagong, in present-day Bangladesh.[4]Waithali was the capital of this kingdom.
The center power of Arakan is believed to have shifted fromDhanyawadi to Waithali in around the 4th century, following the end of the Dhanyawadi Kingdom around 370 CE. Waithali is also considered as the most Indianized of the early Arakanese kingdoms. Like other states in the region, its economy thrived on trade, connecting thePyu city-states,China and theMons in the east withIndia, Bengal, and Persia in the west. The kingdom flourished along major maritime routes between China and India and became a significant trade hub, with ships arriving annually at its peak.[4] The city itself was built along a tidal creek and enclosed by brick walls, with an urban layout reflecting substantial Hindu and Indian influences.[3]
An important historical source from this period is theAnandachandra Inscription, carved in 729 CE. It indicates thatMahayana Buddhism was widely practiced in Waithali while also claiming that the ruling dynasty traced its lineage to the Hindu god Shiva.[5] The inscription, analyzed by Dr. E. H. Johnston, provides a list of kings beginning with a ruler named Bahubali. The western face of the inscription contains 72 lines of text in 51 verses, chronicling the predecessors of Anandachandra.[6] This Sanskrit inscription is unique within Myanmar, where the use of Sanskrit was otherwise rare. It also alludes to political and religious connections with Sri Lanka andAndhra.
The Chandra Dynasty maintained trade networks with states in present-day Myanmar,Thailand,Indonesia, andVietnam. Shipwrecks from the 10th century found off the coast ofJavanese provide evidence of maritime connections between southeastern Bengal and Southeast Asia.[7]
The Waithali Kingdom was governed by theChandra dynasty. The Chandra kings are described as descendants of the god Shiva, which suggests that they might be followers ofShaivism as well.
Dvenchandra was the first ruler of the kingdom. According to the Saccabandra inscription (found near Waithali), he formalized Brahmanical rituals andMahayana Buddhism, reflecting his dual patronage of Hindu and Buddhist institutions.[8][9]
King Bhutichandra expanded Waithali’s territory into theKaladan Valley, securing trade routes to Bengal.[8]
It is claimed by some Arakanese legends and Rakhine chronicles that King Bahubali was the first ruler of Waithali Kingdom. He repelled invasions from thePyu city-states (central Myanmar) and possibly theGauda Kingdom (Bengal). His reign marked the peak of Waithali’s territorial control, stretching from the Mayu River to the Lemro Valley.
Dhammavijaya, a late seventh-century ruler of Vesali, has been identified by some scholars, such as R. Mitchiner, as the ruler of both Arakan andHarikela (which was itself under Chandra Dynasty) due to the discovery of a significant number of identical coins in Harikela andSamatata (East Bengal). However only two coins bearing his name have been found in Arakan, leading to speculation about his exact role. It has been suggested that Dhammavijaya may have been a descendant of Suriya Candra, ruling first in Harikela before claiming the Vesali throne.[10]
The kingdom collapsed after invasions, possibly by the Pyu orSrivijaya (Sumatran empire). According to the Arakanese chronicles, last chandra king who died at sea and the kingdom was left without a heir. The queen consort was roaming around the upper Kaladan River Valley searching for the rightful male heir whom the king's ring shall perfectly fit the one's finger shall be enthroned. 3 Mro Princes who ruled Waithali and whom the last prince was ousted following invasion from the East.
The political center of Arakan shifted to the Lemro river starting the Lemro Period (လေးမြို့ခေတ်, lit. four cities period), where new states emerged such as theLaunggyet,Parein andPyinsa.
The dynasty is particularly noted for introducing Arakanese coinage, predating Burmese coinage by almost a millennium. The coins featuredSrivatsa (Rakhine:Thiriwutsa) on one side, while the obverse bore an image of a bull which symbolizes the Chandra dynasty along with the king’s name inscribed in Sanskrit. Comparable designs have been discovered inChittagong,Dvaravati, andChampa.[3]
During this period,Buddhism became more widespread, as evidenced by numerousYedhamma inscriptions written in Sanskrit, Pāli, or combination of both. The presence of the colossal Vesali Buddha image, standing seventeen feet tall, further attests to the prominence of Buddhism in early Vesali. KingVīra Candra is traditionally credited with constructing one hundred Buddha stupas, which were regarded as significant religious monuments.[10]
Despite the dominance of Buddhism,Brahmanic rituals also played a role in Vesali’s courtly traditions. A large statue of a crouching bull was discovered at the center of a brick structure, suggesting its involvement in royal rituals. The bull motif also appears on coins bearing the Sanskrit name of King Vīra Candra. The reverse of these coins features the Srivatsa symbol, representing the king’s role as a guarantor of prosperity. Similar numismatic designs were found in contemporaryPyu cities of Myanmar, as well as in Thailand andsouthern Vietnam.[10]
Vesali and Dhanyawadi share many similarities with the walled Pyu cities of Central Myanmar. Both cultures built cities with an inner walled area enclosed by an outer city wall. It is believed that the lower classes used the land within the outer walls for agriculture.[4]
The early form of the Arakanese language was used in this period influenced bySanskrit andPali.[citation needed]
20°39′46″N93°9′0″E / 20.66278°N 93.15000°E /20.66278; 93.15000
