GANDHAR

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 :

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