The Kuninda Kings of Srughana Region Time (around 175 BCE to 77AD)
History of Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) - Part 45
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-42
Political, Religious, Economical and Historical Characteristics of Kunindas/Kulindas Rule in Uttarakhand (200BCE-400AD) -2
(All the History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral)
By: Bhishma Kukreti
The historians do not have complete agreement about whether Kunindas kingdom was a single kingdom or the kingdoms were republican kingdoms. The historians of Saharanpur, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have certain inclination to prove that the important Kunindas/Kulindas kingdom was from their respective region.
The Kuninda /Kulinda era coins and inscriptions are found abundantly by historians. It seems that Kalkut (Kalsi) was the capital of Kunindas/Kulindas kingdom /kingdoms in the Ashoka time. However, there was shift of ruling centre from Kalkut to Srughna or today’s Sugh, Ambala district of Haryana. Sugh village or Srughna/Srughana is 38 miles western south of Kalkut/Kalsi at Yamuna river bank.
Ashoka built a Stupa in Srughna/Srughana (Buddhist record of ...). There were also more Stupas nearby.
The historians found coins of Srughna/Srughana time from Sugh. The coins are related to three kings- Agaraj, Valbhuti and Amoghbhuti. In the silver and copper coins, Amoghbhuti is called the king of Kuninda/Kulinda.
The historians found other seven other Kuninda/Kulinda coins those proof that the ruling centre of Kulinda/Kuninda shifted eastern of Sugh either in Behat of Saharanpur or more eastern side.
The kings in scripted on the coins are m-g-bh-t, Shiv Datt, Shivpalit and Hari Datt. It is suggested that those kings were heirs of Amoghbhuti. The ruling time of these kings would be around beginning of first century AD.
The coins of other Kuninda/Kulinda kings Chhatreshwar, Bhanu, and Rawan are around decline of Kushan era. The coins of Kuninda/Kulinda kings - are m-g-bh-t, Shiv Datt, Shivpalit and Hari Datt are found from Almora, Uttarakhand.
Historians have records for five inscriptions related to Kuninda regimes –
1-Bharathut Stupa- The eastern column was built by Vatsitanay Dhanbhuti . Dhanbhuti was son of Kautsi tanay Agraraj and grandson of Gargi Tanay Vishvadev
2-Bharathut Stupa (vatanmar door)-contemporary king Agraraj built the column.
3-Bharathut Stupa (The donation plate shows)- Nagrakshita is wife of Dhanabhuti I.
4-Bharathut Stupa (donation plate) shows that Baghpal/vridhpal was son of Dhanabhuti
5-Mathura Stupa shows that Dhanbhuti II donated /built Vedika, clumn and Ratnagrih. Dhanabhuti II was son of Vridhpal and grandson of Dhanabhuti I.
The Kuninda Kings of Almora of Srughana Dynasty
The Almora coins and Stupa inscriptions suggest following Almora kings of Srughana dynasty (150 BCE) (Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas 3rd, page 159 and supported by Dinesh Saklani).
--------Names from Inscription------------------
SN ------King--------------------
1---------? ------------------------------
2- Visdev (Vishwdev)--------------------
3-Agraju(Agraraj)-------------
4-Dhanbhuti (I)---------------------------
5- Vadhpal (Vudhpal)---------------------
6-Dhanbhuti II ------------------------------
7-----------------------------
8- ------------------------------
8-----------------------------
9-----------------------------
10----------------------------
------------------------------
11----------------------------
12----------------------------
Dabral provides chronology of Kings of Kuninda Era
There is no record found for the founder of Srughna kingdom. Gargi might be his wife.
In old time or even just decades back if a father had two wives the sons were recognized by their mother as in Mahabharata, Nakul was called Madriputra (Son of Madri ), Arjun was called kunti Putra. There is no mention of father of Vishvadev on coins but his mother name is given as Gargi/Gagi.
The queen of Vishvadev was Gauti or Kautsi.
Agraraj was the son of Vishvadev-Kautsi. Vachhi or vatsi was his queen. The coins of Agraraj were found in Srughn (Sugh, Ambala) and Kaushambi. It seems Agraraj developed his father’s kingdom.
There was instability and higgledy-pigledy in Indian scenes at the time of Agraraj.
Greek Attack- This was the time that Greek invaders Demetrius and Menander attacked India and reached to Patliputra. As per history writing by Ptolemy, Greek rule was also on Kulindrain (Kuninda/Kulinda) with Patal, Saurashtra, Abhir, Gandhar, and Kashmir. It seems Greek invaders rules over Kuninda/Kulindas (Uttarakhand, Himachal, Saharanpur and parts of Haryana) for fifteen years. Greeks were cruel and they destroyed the self esteem symbols of Indians. They killed man in laksh and there was hsoratge of males in the territory. One man had to marry more than sixteen women for saving social structure. There was acute draught famine in this Age. Thousands of people died.
Kuninda under Shunga- Shunga threw Greeks from Kuninda territory and rules over there for some time. The brick coin found in Dehradun shows that Shunga had representative as governor. The script is as of Shunga scrip and states ‘Bhadramitrasya Dronighate’. Bhadramitra might have been a shunga representative.
It seems that Greek invaded Kuninda t the beginning of Agraraj rule and left t the last years of of his rule.
Dhanbhuti first of Kunindas/Kulindas seems to be the contemporary of Pushyamitra Shangu. Cunningham suggests the time of Dhanbhuti I rule from 240-220 BCE.. However, with various calculations and logical arguments Dabral criticized and suggests that Dhanbhuti I rule was from 160-140 BCE. Dabral seems to be right.
Prosperity and peace- The area gained prosperity after Greek invasion and could wipe out the losses happened in the time of Greek. Srughna was main centre of business and was Mandi or connecting centre for business among other Indian kingdoms. Srughna became the centre for connecting India with western Asia. The rise and development of mercantile communities was on the rise.
The Buddhism had protection from the Dhanbhuti king and flourished at this time. Dabral states that this was Golden Period of Kuninda/Kulinda era of Srughna territory.
Family of Dhanbhuti- Mother of Dhanbhuti was from Vachhi or Vatsa family. Dhanbhuti first had two wives – Vatsi and Nagrakshita . Vadhpal or vridhpal was son from Vatsi. Nagrakshita did not have any issue.
Perhaps, the birth place of Nagrakshita was in Morgiri near Ahobhang .
Nagrakshita became Sanyasin (ascetic). Her mother’s name was Chakmochika who also became Sansyasin. The name of brother of Nagrakshita was Nagil or Nagrakshit.
Nagrakshit that is brother of Nagrakshita had very high reputation as he is called Bhadant in inscription. Nagrakshit, Chakrmochika and Nagrakshita donated and their names are mentioned in donation sheets.
Vridhpal or Vudhpal
Dhanbhuti first was father of Vridhpal or Vudhpal. Vudhpal along with his father Dhanbhuti first donated for Bharhut Stupa’s further construction works. It seems Dhanbhuti had long ruling time.
Dhanbhuti second (II) donated for Mathura Stupa construction. The coins of Kuninda era the son of Dhanbhuti second (II) were also found in Mathura. That means Mathura was near to Srughna border.
There are no Kuninda coins of Dhanbhuti first, Vridhpal and Dhanbhuti second. In other words, till Dhanbhuti second Kuninda of Srughana region was under Shunga regime or Kuninda kings were Shunga governors. It seems that there was weakening of Shunga ruling and Balbhuti the son of Dhanbhuti second became partially or totally free from Shunga of Pataliputra. Cunningham found the coins of Balbhuti. The coins are manufactured on the pattern of coins of Jyesthmitra of Shunga dynasty.
****The Kuninda Kings of Srughana Region Time (around 175 BCE to 77AD) to be continued in History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -46
Political, Religious, Economical and Historical Characteristics of Kunindas/Kulindas Rule in Uttarakhand –to be continued…3
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 17/05/2013
(The write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -46
Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas- to be continued…43
References and Further Reading Suggestions:
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B.P. Kamboj, 2003, Early Wall painting of Garhwal
C.M Agarwal , History of Kumaon
Dabral, Shiv Prasad, 1968, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-2, (pages117 to321), Veer Gath Press, Dogadda, India
Dabral, Shiv Prasad, 1992, Kulinda Janpada
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D.D Sharma, 2009, Cultural History of Uttarakhand
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Gyan Swarup Gupta, 199, India: From Indus Valley civilization to Mauryas
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Hari Krishna Raturi, 1921, Garhwal ka Itihas
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John Whelpton, 2005, History of Nepal (page 22 , Khasa)
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