Vajji

Vajji (or Vrijji) mahajanapada was one of the principal mahajanapadas of ancient Indiacite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Social Science - Class VI - Our Pasts-I |year=2007 |publisher=NCERT|location=New Delhi|isbn=|chapter=CHAPTER 6 - KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC|pages=61-62|url=http://www.ncert.nic.in/textbooks/testing/Index.htm] . The territory of the Vajji mahajanapada was located on the north of the Ganga River and extended up to the Terai region of Nepal. On the west, the Gandak River was probably the boundary between it and the Malla mahajanapada and possibly also separated it with the Kosala mahajanapada. On the east, its territory was probably extended up to the forests along the banks of the rivers, Koshi and Mahananda. The capital of this mahajanapda was Vaishali. Other important towns and villages were Kundapura or Kundagrama (a suburb of Vaishali), Bhoganagara and Hatthigama. [Raychaudhuri Hemchandra (1972), "Political History of Ancient India", University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp.105,107]

The rulers of this mahajanapada were a confederacy of the eight clans ("atthakula") of whom the"Vriji"s, the "Lichchavi"s, the "Jnatrikas"s and the "Videha"s were the most important. The identities of the other four clans are not certain. However, in a passage of the "Sutrakritanga", the "Ugra"s, the "Bhoga"s, the "Kaurava"s and the "Aikshvaka"s are associated with the "Jnatri"s and "Licchavi"s as the subjects of the same ruler and the members of the same assmebly. [Raychaudhuri Hemchandra (1972), "Political History of Ancient India", University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp.105-06]

Vajji administration

It was one of the world's first democracies. It was known as "Vajji Sangha" (union of Vajji), which consisted of several "janapadas", "gramas" (villages), "gosthas" (groups). The eminent people were chosen from each "khandas" (districts) to represent on their behalf in "Vajji gana parishad" (people's council of Vajji).These represetatives were called "gana mukhyas".The chairman of the council was called "Ganapramukh" (head of the democracy), but often he was addressed as the king ,though his post was not dynastic.The other executives were "Mahabaladhrikrit" (equivalent to the minister of internal security), "binishchayamatya" (chief justice), "dandadhikrit" (other justices) etc.

Vajji's capital was Vaishali. It was a prosperous city. In the introductory portion of the "Ekapanna Jataka", the Vaishali was described as encompassed by a triple wall with the three gates with watch-towers. The main gosthas were Lichchhavis, Mallas,Śakyas etc. In around 600 B.C. the Lichchhavis were disciples of Lord Mahavira, but later they shifted to "Buddha Marga" (Buddhism). During his life time Lord Buddha visited Vaishali several times, the "vihara" where he used to stay in Vaishali was called "Kuthagarshala". It was gifted to him by a "Ganapramukh", Chetaka.

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