Question

How many janapadas were there in India during 600 bc to 400 bc?

• A. sixteen
• B. twelve
• C. twenty
• D. eight

Answer 1

Answer:

A. sixteen

Janapadas

• Aryan expansion to the Gangetic plains by the sixth century BC, resulted in the formation of several agricultural lands and settlements in the region. These settlements with newly developed trading centres and towns were known as Janapadas.

• The places where people placed their foot or where the tribe placed its foothold came to be known as Janapadas. Some of these Janapadas combined together to form the Mahajanapadas. The Mahajanapadas were either ruled by kings or by Ganasanghas. Regions lying close to the Himalayan foothills had more of Ganasanghas ruling them. Whereas most of the Mahajanapadas in the gangetic plain were under the rule of kings

• There were 16 such Mahajanapadas in the Indian subcontinent: Magadha, Anga, Vajji, Vatsa, Malla, Kasi, Kosala, Chedi, Panchala, Ashmaka, Avanti, Surasena, Kuru, Matsya, Gandhara, and Kamboja.

• Magadha was the most powerful among the Mahajanapadas.