Kosala

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North India, approx. 600 BC Chr.
North India, ca.375 AD

Kosala or Koshala ( Sanskrit : कोशल , Kośala ) was an Indian kingdom in the north of the Ganges plain at the time of the historical Buddha Gotama (around 500 BC ).

history

Northern Kingdom of Kosala

Kosala was one of 16 great tribes (the so-called Mahajanapadas ) and was located in the north of what is now the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . The capital of Kosala was Shravasti ( Savatthi ) or Saket , which is the name of Ayodhya in Buddhist literature . In the time of the Buddha, the kingdom was ruled by Mahakosala , Pasenadi and Vidudabha .

Kosala is mentioned in the ancient Indian epics Ramayana , Mahabharata and in the Puranas . According to the Ramayana and Puranas, the capital was called Ayodhya. In Ramayana, King Dasharatha, the father of Rama , sits on the lion throne ( simhasana ) in Ayodhya .

Southern Kingdom of Kosala

The Ramayana mentions the division of the kingdom of Kosala between the brothers Lava and Kusha ; Kusha received the southern part ( dakshina kosala ), which today corresponds roughly to the central area of ​​the Indian state of Chhattisgarh and whose capital is equated by some with Sirpur ( Sripuri ). During the northern part of the empire after a series of grueling wars as early as 450 BC. BC was annexed by the neighboring state of Magadha , the southern part still existed until the establishment of the Islamic Sultanate of Delhi (1206), which was able to quickly expand its power to the east and south-east.

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