KBC 14: Which of these names is not that of a Mahajanapada?
Options:
Kosala
Panchala
Chola
Magadha
Answer: Chola
Mahjanapadas means ‘Great Kingdoms’. Before ‘Budhism’ rose in the country, these flourished in the north western parts of India. Aryans were seen migrating to the country. As per the Vedic texts these Aryan tribes were known as the Janas. Later these Vedic Janas merged with Janapadas. The Indian subcontinent was divided into the Janapadas with clear demarcated boundaries. Many of these became big political bodies. In the Budhist traditions these kingdoms came to be known as ‘Mahajanapadas’.
There were sixteen of such Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machcha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.
