GANDHAR
![](Ancestry_of_Adhiratha.jpg)
Ancestry
of Gandhar
Gandhar
was an ancient state, a Maha Janpad, in the Peshawar basin in the
northwest portion of ancient Indian subcontinent, present-day Pakistan.
Variants
:
Afghanistan. Gandhar (AS, p.28)
Gandhar (AS, p.270)
Kandhar (AS, p.122)
Location :
The center of the region was at the confluence of the Kabul and
Swat rivers, bounded by the Sulaiman Mountains on the west and the
Indus River on the east. The Safed Koh mountains separated it from
the Kohat region to the south. This being the core area of Gandhar,
the cultural influence of "Greater Gandhar" extended across
the Indus river to the Taxila region and westwards into the Kabul
and Bamiyan valleys in Afghanistan, and northwards up to the Karakoram
range.
Jat
clans :
Gandhara or Gandhar gotra Jats are found in Agra district. Found
in villages Bichpuri of Agra district.
Gandhar janpad is said to have been founded by Gandhar gotra Jats.
Raj kumari of Kandahar named Gandhari was married to Maharaj Dhritarashtra.
It was known to Panini as Gandhar.
Mention
by Panini :
Gandhar is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
History
:
V. S. Agrawala writes that Ashtadhyayi of Panini mentions Gandhar,
under Kachchhadi (IV.2.133) and Sindhvadi (IV.3.93). Which extended
from Kabul Valley to Taxila (takshila). Two towns of Gandhar mentioned
are - Takshasil, its eastern capital and Pushkalavati western. The
Greeks refer to it as Peucelaotes (modern Charsadda, situated near
the junction of the Swat with the Kabul). Pushkal refers to people
of this region. The country between the Rivers Suvastu and Gauri
was known as Uddiyan.
Ram
Swarup Joon writes...Gandhar, son of Arh, founded Gandhar (Kandhar)
and it was his capital. Gaindhu, Gaindha, Gaindhals and, Gandhar
are gotras found amongst the Muslim Jats in large numbers in the
Western Punjab. They all trace their origin from Quandhar. In Aligarh
district are found some Hindus belonging to Gaindhar gotra. The
ruins of one Gandhar fort were found in Jalalabad in Afghanistan.
Gandhari, mother of Duryodhan, belonged to this dynasty. Kshatriyas
of this clan have been mentioned in the Mahabharat. In Nowshera
there is a barren area called Gandhar Mound. Among the Sikh Jats
there are some that are called Gaindhrawal or Gaindhar.
Rajtarangini
tells us that the history of Kashmir then presents a blank till
the reign of Gonanda I at the beginning of the Kaliyug. This powerful
king was contemporary with Yudhisthir and a friend of his enemy
Jarasandh. Gonand I, who ruled in Kashmir, where the Ganges flows
cheering the mount Kailas on her way, was invited by Jarasindhu
to help him in his invasion of Mathura, the capital of Krishna.
With a large army they invested that city and encamped on the banks
of the Yamuna to the great terror of their foes. On one occasion
the army of Krishna was defeated in a battle, but Balaram not only
retrieved the confusion of his army, but made a vigorous attack
on the allied force. For a long time victory remained doubtful,
till at last Gonand I, pierced with wounds fell dead on the field,
and the army of Krishna was victorious. On his death Damodar I ascended
the throne of Kashmira, and though possessed of this beautiful kingdom,
he was far from being happy; his proud heart brooded on his father's
death. While in this state, he had that the Gandhars had invited
Krishna and his relatives to the nuptials of some of the daughters.
[p.6]:
their tribe, to be celebrated near the banks of the Sindhu, and
in which the bridegrooms, were to be chosen by the brides. With
great preparations were being made for the nuptials, the king moved
with a large army of infantry and horse, and interrupted the, festival.
In the battle that ensued, many of the Gandhars were killed, but
the king, pierced to the heart with Krishna's chakra perished.
Sandhya
Jain writes...Gandhar was a northern tribe in Mahabharat (VII.200.40)
and key allies of the Kauravs. Their king Shakuni lived at the Kaurav
court and guided their destinies. Gandhar generally denotes Peshawar
and Rawalpindi, though Persian inscriptions reveal that it included
Kabul (Afghanistan). Mahabharat: (VI.10.52) The Mahabharat Tribe
- Gandhar may be identified with Jat Gotra - Gandhar in Agra district.
Gandhar
Mahajanpad :
Gandhar was one of sixteen mahajanpads of ancient India mentioned
in Buddhist sources such as Anguttara Nikaya. During the Achaemenid
period and Hellenistic period, its capital city was Pushkalavati,
modern Charsadda. Later the capital city was moved to Peshawar by
the Kushan emperor Kanishk the Great in about AD 127.
Gandhar
existed since the time of the Rigved (c. 1500–1200 BC), as
well as the Zoroastrian Avesta, which mentions it as Vaekereta,
the sixth most beautiful place on earth, created by Ahura Mazda.
Gandhar was conquered by the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century
BC. Conquered by Alexander the Great in 327 BC, it subsequently
became part of the Maurya Empire and then the Indo-Greek Kingdom.
The region was a major center for Greco-Buddhism under the Indo-Greeks
and Gandharn Buddhism under later dynasties. It was also a central
location for the spread of Buddhism to Central Asia and East Asia.
Famed for its local tradition of Gandhar (Greco-Buddhist) Art, Gandhar
attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century under
the Kushan Empire. Gandhar "flourished at the crossroads
of Asia," connecting trade routes and absorbing cultural influences
from diverse civilizations; Buddhism thrived until 8th or 9th centuries,
when Islam first began to gain sway in the region. Pockets of Buddhism
persisted in Pakistan's Swat valley until the 11th century.
The
Persian term Shahi is used by historian Al-Biruni to refer to the
ruling dynasty that took over from the Kabul Shahi and ruled the
region during the period prior to Muslim conquests of the 10th and
11th centuries. After it was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1001
AD, the name Gandhar disappeared. During the Muslim period, the
area was administered from Lahore or from Kabul. During Mughal times,
it was an independent district which included the Kabul province.
Kandahar
:
Vijayendra Kumar Mathur has written… Kandahar is the transformation
of the ancient city of Gandhar.
It
is the second largest city in Afghanistan. From a strategic point
of view, Kandahar is important because the railway line from India
to Afghanistan ends here. This city is also an important market.
Most of the trade from east to west through the land route takes
place here. Kandahar has a unique system of irrigation with springs.
They have been dug into the tunnel by mixing wells everywhere.
Status
:
Kandahar is located approximately 280 miles southwest of Kabul and
at an altitude of 3,462 feet. The city is situated in the middle
of the fertile plain of the rivers Tarnac and Argadab, where canals
are irrigated; But the north part of it is desolate. Fruits, wheat,
barley, pulses, madder, asafoetida, tobacco, etc. are grown in the
nearby newly irrigated plains. There is a rail route from Kandahar
to New Chaman and there is a train from Pakistan. The ancient Kandahar
city is situated in three miles, which is surrounded by a 24-foot-wide,
10-foot deep moat and 27 feet high wall. The city has six gates,
two east, two west, one north and one south. The main roads are
more than 40 feet wide. Kandahar is divided into four distinct parts,
in which people of different caste (clan) live. Among them, four
- 'Durrani', 'Ghilzai', 'Parsivan' and 'Kakar' are famous.
History
:
The history of Kandahar is full of turmoil. Fifth century BC
It was part of the Persian Empire. Around 326 BC In Macedonia, King
Alexander conquered it when he invaded India and when he died it
came under the command of his commander Seleucus. A few years later,
Seleucus handed it over to Chandragupt Maurya. It was a part of
Ashoka's empire. An inscription of Emperor Ashok has recently been
found near this city. At the fall of the Maurya dynasty it remained
under the Bactria, Parthia, Kushan and Shaka kings. In the tenth
century, it came under the occupation of the Afghans and became
a Muslim state. Sultan Mahmud in the eleventh century, Genghis Khan
in the thirteenth century and Timur in the fourteenth century held
sway over it.
Mughal
authority :
In 1507 AD, Kandahar was conquered by Babur, the founder of the
Mughal dynasty and till 1625 AD it remained in the possession of
the Mughal emperors of Delhi. In 1625 AD, Shah Abbas of Persia intervened.
Several attempts were made by Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb to revive
it, but all attempts failed. Kandahar remained in the possession
of Persia except for a short time (1708–37 AD) until the death
of Nadir Shah. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Abdali had also annexed it
with Afghanistan, but Kandahar separated from Kabul for some time
after the death of his grandson Zaman Shah.
British
control :
In 1839 AD, the British Indian government took control of it by
fighting on behalf of Amir Shahshuja of Afghanistan and kept it
under occupation till 1842 AD. The British army intervened again
in 1879 AD, but had to be evacuated in 1881 AD. Since then, Kandahar
is a part of Afghanistan.
Reference
: Bharatkosh-Kandahar
Gandhar
:
Vijayendra Kumar Mathur has authored.
1.
Gandhar (AS, p.270) territories east and northwest of Indus River.
It also included the eastern part of present-day Afghanistan. The
residents of Gandhar in the Rig Ved are called Gandhari and their
sheep's wool is adorned and the Atharv Ved mentions the Gandharis
with the Mujvatans - 'Uparopam in the advisory maa, the dharabhimanitha:,
sarvahmamsi romsha gandhaarimanivavika' 'gandharimyo moojvadbhyoday
geo Magadhebhya: Prashyam Janmiv Shevadhim Takmanam Paridadamsin.
Gandharis
in the Atharv Ved are counted among the contemptuous castes but
in later times the attitude of the Madhyamis towards the Gandharis
changed and large scholarly pundits made their abode in Gandhar.
Taxila was the popular capital of Gandhar. In the Chandogya Upanishad,
Uddalaka-Aruni mentions Gandhar as an example of a Sadhguru disciple
reaching his ultimate goal. It seems that the creator of Chandogya
was specially introduced to Gandhar.
The
Shatapath Brahman [12,4,1] and the following sentences describe
Uddalaka Aruni's relation to the Uddikyas or the inhabitants of
the northern country (Gandhar). Panini, who himself was a resident
of Gandhar, mentions Taxila [4,3,93]. In the historical follow-up,
Kautilya has been described as the jewel of the Taxila college.
[p.271]: Valmiki has given the position of Gandharvadesh in the
Ramayan [Answer- 101,11] under the topic Gandhar. Kaikeya country
was located to the east of this. Ayodhyapati Ramchandra ji's brother
Bharat had conquered the Gandharv country and settled the towns
of Taxila and Pushkalavati at the behest of Kekay-Naresh Yudhajit.
Gandhar
country had a close relationship with Madhya Pradesh during the
Mahabharat period. Gandhari, Dhritarashtra's wife, was Rajakanya
of Gandhar. Shakuni was his brother. Among the natives, Kashmir
and Taxila - both have been considered in Gandhar. Taxila is mentioned
many times among the Jataka. In Jatakal, it was famous all over
India as a city college. In the Purans, the Gandhar kings
considered the descendants of Druhayu. The Vayu Puran mentions
the best horses of Gandhar.
According
to Angusadnikaya, Gandhar was enumerated in sixteen districts of
northern India during the Buddha and pre-Buddha times. At the time
of Alexander 's invasion of India, Gandhar had many small princely
states, such as convergence, Taxila, etc. The Mauryan Empire included
the entire Gandhar country. He was also a part of the Kushan Empire.
The new capital here was built in Purushapur or Peshawar during
the Kushan period itself . During this period, the former glory
of Taxila had ended. During the Gupta period, Gandhar was probably
outside the empire of the Guptas because at that time the foreigners
like Yavan , Shaka, etc. were here.
In
the 7th century AD, Buddhism was quite advanced in many parts of
Gandhar. During the height of the Muslims in the 8th-9th centuries,
this country gradually came under their political and cultural influence.
In 870 AD, the Arab commander Yakub Ales captured Afghanistan, but
after this, Hindus and Buddhists continued to live here in many
areas. He also faced the attacks of Alaptagin and Subuktagin. 990
e. Lmgan (ancient Lnpak was) a castle out of his hands and then
Kafiristan been initiated into the religion of excluding all Afghan
Muslims.
2.
Gandhar (AS , p.271): Gandhar is the ancient Indian name of Yunnas,
located in the northern part of Thailand or Syam. It is informed
by Chinese history texts. That second century BC The Indians in
the region were to settle the colony and they Bengal-Assam and Brhmdesh
were reached on trade Sthlmarg of. Until the 13th century, the Indian
name of Yunnan was popularized as Gandhar, as indicated by the description
of the then Muslim writer Rashiduddin. The Chinese name of this
region was Nanchaon. In 1253 AD, China's emperor Kublakhan conquered
Gandhar and ended the Hindu kingdom here.
Gandhar
Mahajanpad :
One of the legendary 16 Mahajanpads. Pakistan's western and Afghanistan's
eastern region. Many times people make the mistake of linking it
to modern Kandahar which was actually located some south of the
region. The main center of this region was modern Peshawar and the
surrounding areas. The major cities of this Mahajanpad were - Purushpur
(modern Peshawar) and Taxila was its capital. It existed from 600
BCE to the 11th century. Buddhism flourished here during the Kushan
rulers but it later fell due to Muslim invasion.
The
mention of this region is found in the inscriptions of Mahabharat
and Ashok. According to the Mahabharat, the queen of Dhritarashtra
and the mother of Duryodhan was the princess of Gandhari Gandhar.
Nowadays it is the region of Rawalpindi and Peshawar districts of
Pakistan. Taxila and Pushkalavati were famous cities here. After
being part of Ashok's empire, it remained under Persian and Kushan
kingdom for some time. It was the site of cultural confluence of
East and West and the 'Gandhar style' of art was born here.
Visit
by Fahian :
According to James Legge The Travelers, going downwards from this
towards the east, in five days came to the country of Gandhar, 1
the place where Dharma-vivardhan, 2 the son of Ashok, 3 ruled. When
Buddha was a Bodhisattva, he gave his eyes also for another man
here; 4 and at the spot they have also reared a large tope, adorned
with layers of gold and silver plates. The people of the country
were mostly students of the hinayana .
1
Eitel says "an ancient kingdom, relating to the region about
Dheri and Banjour."
2
Dharma-vivardhana is the name in Sanskrit, represented by the Fa
Yi.
3
Ashok is here mentioned for the first time; - the Constantine of
the Buddhist society, and famous for the number of viharas and topes
which he erected. He was the grandson of Chandragupta (iq Sandracottus),
a rude adventurer, who at one time was a refugee in the camp of
Alexander the Great; and within about twenty years afterwards drove
the Greeks out of India, having defeated Seleucus, the Greek ruler
of the Indus provinces. He had by that time made himself king of
Magadh. His grandson was converted to Buddhism by the bold and patient
demeanor of an Arhat whom he had ordered to be buried alive, and
became a most zealous supporter of the new faith. Dr. Rhys Davids
(Sacred Books of the East, vol. Xi, p. Xlvi) says that " Ashok
's coronation can be fixed with absolute certainty within a year
or two either way of 267 BC ".
4
This also is a Jatak story; but Eitel thinks it may be a myth, constructed
from the story of the blinding of Dharma-vivardhan.
Visit
by Xuanzang in 630 AD :
Alexander Cunningham writes about Gandhar or Parashawar : The district
of Gandhar is not mentioned by Alexander 's professed historians;
but it is correctly described by Strabo, under the name of Gandaritis
, as lying along the river Kophes, between the Choaspes and the
Indus. In the same position Ptolemy places the Gandarae, whose country
included both banks of the Kophes immediately above its junction
with the Indus. This is the Kien-to-lo, or Gandhar of all the Chinese
pilgrims, who are unanimous in placing it to the west of the Indus.
The capital, which they call Pu-lu-sha-pulo or Parashapur is stated
to be three or four days' journey from the Indus, and near the south
bank of a large river. This is an exact description of the position
of Peshawar, which down to the time of Akbar still bore its old
name of Parashawar, under which form it is mentioned by Abul Fazl
and Baber, and still earlier by Abu Rihan and the Arab geographers
of the tenth century. According to Fa Hian, who calls it simply
Fo-lu-sha or Parash, the capital was 16 yojans, or about 112 miles,
distant from Nagarahar. Hwen Thsang , however, makes the distance
only 500 li, or 83 miles, which is certainly a mistake, as the measurement
by perambulator between Jalalabad and Peshawar is 103 miles, to
which must be added 2 miles more for the position of Begram to the
west of Jalalabad.
[p.48]:
scribed, but its size is given as 1000 li, or 166 miles, from east
to west, and 800 li, or 133 miles, from north to south. This is,
perhaps, nearly correct, as the extreme length, whether taken from
the source of the Bara river to Torbel, or from the Kunar river
to Torbela, is 120 miles, measured on the map direct, or about 150
miles by road. The extreme breadth, measured in the same way, from
Bazar, on the border of the Bunir hills, to the southern boundary
of Kohat , is 100 miles direct, or about 125 miles by road. The
boundaries of Gandhar, as deduced from these measurements, may be
described as Lamghanand Jalalabad on the west, the hills of Swat
and Bunir on the north, the Indus on the east, and the hills of
Kalabagh on the south. Within these limits stood several of the
most renowned places of ancient India; some celebrated in the stirring
history of Alexander 's exploits, and others famous in the miraculous
legends of Buddh, and in the subsequent history of Buddhism under
the Indo-Scythian prince Kanishk.
The
only towns of the Gandarae named by Ptolemy are Naulibe, Embolima,
and the capital called Proklais. All of these were to the north
of the Kophes ; and so also were Ora, Bazaria and Aornos which are
mentioned by Alexander 's historians. Parashawar alone was to the
south of the Kophes. Of Naulibe and Ora I am not able to offer any
account, as they have not yet been identified. It is probable, however,
that Naulibe is Nilab, an important town, which gave its name to
the Indus river; but if so, it is wrongly placed by Ptolemy, as
Nilab is to the south of the Kophes. The positions of the other
towns I
[p.49]:
will now proceed to investigate, including with them some minor
places visited by the Chinese pilgrims.
In
mahabharat :
Gandhar is mentioned in Mahabharat (I.177.5), (II.31.6), (II.48.22),
(VI.10.52), (VIII.30.55),
Adi
Parv, Mahabharat / Book I Chapter 177 mentions Kshatriyas who came
on Swayamvar of Draupadi . Gandhar King is mentioned in Mahabharat
(I.177.5). [26] .... Sakuni, Sauval, Vrishak and Vrihadval these
sons of the king Gandhar - had also come.
Sabha
Parv, Mahabharat / Book II Chapter 31 mentions the Kshatriyas who
brought tributes on Rajsuya sacrifice of Yudhisthir. Gandhar King
is mentioned in Mahabharat (II.31.6) and Suval the king of Gandhar
and Sakuni endued with great strength.
Bhisma
Parv, Mahabharat / Book VI Chapter 10 describes geography and provinces
of Bharatvarsh. Gandhar is mentioned in Mahabharat (VI.10.52) the
Kashmirs, the Sindhu-Sauvirs, the Gandhars and the Darshaks the
Abhisaras, the Kulutas, the Sahivalas and the Valhikas.
Sabha
Parv, Mahabharat / Book II Chapter 48 describes Kings who presented
tributes to Yudhishthir. Gandhar is mentioned in Mahabharat (II.48.22).
And Chitrarath, also the king of Gandharvs, the friend of Indra,
gave four hundred [p. 105]: horses gifted with the speed of the
wind. And the Gandharv Tumvuru gladly gave a hundred horses of the
color of mango leaf and decked in gold.
Karna
Parv / Mahabharat Book VIII Chapter 30 blames the Vahikas and Madrakas.
Gandhar is mentioned in Mahabharat (VIII.30.55). The Gandhars, the
Madraks and the Vahiks of little understanding are even such.
Source
:
https://www.jatland.com/
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