Some Janapadas of Ancient Rāḍhā
By Prabodh Chandra Sengupta
Summary
This regional study reconstructs the geography and history of ancient Rāḍhā, an area roughly corresponding to western Bengal. Drawing upon epigraphic records, Pali texts and local traditions, the author identifies a series of janapadas or small states that flourished in this region. Sections are devoted to Rāḍhā proper, Brahmā, Karṇāṭa, Vajrabhūmi, Suhma and Jatharā. For each the article discusses references in inscriptions or literary sources, proposes geographical locations and explores the ethnic identity of their inhabitants. For instance, the author connects Vajrabhūmi with the Bardhaman area and argues that the Karṇāṭa people mentioned in the Vamsatthappakāsini were a non‑Brahmanical tribe. He analyses place‑names ending in ‑āḍā or ‑ḍhā and uses river courses and archaeological sites to map ancient settlements. The article emphasises that Rāḍhā was not a single political unit but a mosaic of small polities linked by trade routes and cultural exchange. By synthesising data from copper‑plate grants, the Mahāvaṃsa and early Bengali literature, the author offers a more nuanced picture of the region’s history than is found in general histories of India.
Conclusion
The survey concludes that western Bengal’s ancient landscape comprised numerous janapadas whose names and locations can be recovered through meticulous study of inscriptions and early chronicles. Rather than seeing Rāḍhā as a backwater, the author shows it was a dynamic zone where indigenous tribes, Buddhist communities and early Hindu rulers interacted. The findings underscore the importance of regional studies for reconstructing the subcontinent’s historical diversity.