Parada Kingdom

Paradas were a tribe mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. They lied north to the Himalayas so that they had limited interaction with ancient India. They belonged to the Xinjiang province of China, and Laddakh of Kashmir. They were mentioned as giving tribute for Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice. They had also taken part in the Kurukshetra War.

References in Mahabharata

Tribute to Yudhisthira

"Parada is mentioned as a hilly tribe who brought tribute to the Pandava king Yudhisthira for his Rajasuya sacrifice."

The tribes Vairamas, Paradas, Tungas, with the Kitavas who lived upon crops that depended on water from the sky or of the river and also they who were born in regions on the sea-shore, in woodlands, or countries on the other side of the ocean waited at the gate of king Yudhisthira, bringing goats and kine and asses and camels and vegetable, honey and blankets and jewels and gems of various kinds (2:50). They that dwell by the side of the river Sailoda flowing between the mountains of Mer and Mandara and enjoy the delicious shade of topes of the Kichaka bamboo, viz., the Khashas, Ekasanas, the Arhas, the Pradaras, the Dirghavenus, the Paradas, the Kulindas, the Tanganas, and the other Tanganas, brought as tribute heaps of gold measured in dronas (jars) (2:51).

The Kairatas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Suras, the Vaiamakas, the Audumvaras, the Durvibhagas, the Kumaras, the Paradas along with the Vahlikas, the Kashmiras, the Ghorakas, the Hansakayanas, the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Yauddheyas, the ruler of Madras and the Kaikeyas, the Amvashtas, the Kaukuras, the Tarkshyas, the Vastrapas along with the Palhavas, the Vashatayas, the Mauleyas along with the Kshudrakas, and the Malavas, the Paundrayas, the Kukkuras, the Sakas, the Angas, the Vangas, the Punras, the Sanavatyas, and the Gayas—these good and well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to the use of arms, brought tribute unto king Yudhishthira by hundreds and thousands (2:51).

In Kurukshetra War

"Paradas belonged to the Kaurava army in the Kurukshetra War, along with Sakas and Yavanas."

Many terrible Yavanas and Paradas and Sakas and Valhikas, and Mlecchas of fierce eyes, accomplished in smiting and many Darvabhisaras and Daradas and Pundras numbering by thousands, of bands, and together forming a force that was countless, began to shower their sharp shafts upon the son of Pandu viz. Arjuna (7:90). The Pulindas, the Paradas, and the Kshudraka- Malavas were mentioned as fighting for Kauravas at (6:88). Three thousand bowmen headed by Duryodhana, with a number of Sakas and Kamvojas and Valhikas and Yavanas and Paradas, and Kalingas and Tanganas and Amvashtas and Pisachas and Barbaras and mountaineers, inflamed with rage and armed with stone, all rushed against Satyaki (7:118).

See also

Kingdoms of Ancient India

Paradas

References

Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli