The Nanda Dynasty of Magadha
The Nanda dynasty ruled in the northern part of India during 4th Century BCE. The Nandas destroyed the Shaishunaga dynasty in the Magadha district of eastern India and expanded their realm to include a larger part of norward India. Ancient scripts differ considerably regarding the names of the Nanda kings and the duration of their prescription, but according to the Buddhist tradition recorded in the Mahavamsa, they appearance to have ruled during between 345 to 321 BCE. Although some theories begin the dislocate of their rule to fifth century BCE.
Origin of Nanda Dynasty
Nanda Dynasty succeeded Shaishunaga dynasty after the destruction and killing of last Shaishunaga dynasty which is either Kalakosha or one of his son by Ugrasena Nanda also known as Mahapadma Nanda. He was succeeded by Nava Nandas who were explained like Paduka,Panduguti,Bhutapala,Rashtrapala,Govinda Shanka,Dhasa Siddhika,Kai Varta and DhanaNanda.
Administration
The Nandas built on the successes of their Haryanka and Shaishunaga predecessors and organised a more centralised administration. Ancient sources credit them with amassing great welfare, which was probably an event of introduction of new currency and taxation system. Ancient texts also suggest that the Nandas were unpopular among their subjects because of excessive taxation and their general misconduct at the beginning. Nanda dominion, the patronymic that ruled Magadha, lasted in Northern India. Nanda dynasty prefaced the lordship of the Mauryas, and, as with all pre-Maurya dynasties, what is known is a mixture of fact and legend. Indigenous traditions, both Brahmanical and Jain, suggest that the founder of sovereignty, Mahapadma (who was also known as Mahapadmapati, or Ugrasena), evidently had low social standing, a fact confirmed by classical allowance. Mahapadma took over from the Shaishunagas not only the loin of the Magadhan dominion but also their policy of systematic enlargement. His probable frontier root and matutinal career as a landlord helped him condense the empire with ruthless conquests. The authenticity of the Puranic statement that he was the destroyer of all Kshatriyas and that he overthrew such disparately located powers as the Ikshvakus, Pancalas, Kashis, Haihayas, Kalingas, Ashmakas, Kurus, Maithilas, Shurasenas, and Vitihotras is borne out by uncontrolled evidence. It also outlines the Nanda’s conquests of a part of Godavari River Kalinga and a part of Mysore.
The fall of the Nanda Empire
The post-Mahapadma genealogy of the Nanda dynasty is perfunctory in the Puranas, which numerate only Sukalpa (Sahalya, Sumalya), while the Buddhist text Mahabodhivamsa enumerates eight names. Dhanananda, the last of this attend, possibly figures as Agrammes, or Xandrames, in classical sources, a powerful contemporary of Alexander the Great.
Chanakya according to available records was a former minister in Nanda Empire. He was humiliated in the court and banished by Dhana Nanda for his ugly appearance. On his way from Pataliputra, Chanakya (also known as Kautilya) found an young kid Chandragupta playing with other Kids. Chanakya identified the potential of Chandragupta Maurya and trained him to become a potential ruler. When Chandragupta became an adult, Chanakya assembled an army which invaded Dhana Nanda’s capital but they were defeated and disbanded. Further Chandragupta and Chanakya raised a new army and started capturing the surrounding villages and gradually advanced to the Nanda capital Pataliputra and killed Dhana Nanda. The Nanda dynasty died with him in about 321 BCE when Chandragupta laid the siege for Mauryan power
The brief period of Nanda rule, along with the prolix tenure of the Mauryas, represents the political gaze of a great gradual epoch in auroral Indian history. The changes in material culture of the Ganges (Ganga) River bottom in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, chiefly characterised by and arrangement of georgic technology, resulted in agricultural fruit surpluses and a tendency toward the growth of communication and urban centres. It is symbol in this context that in many rises, native and extrinsic, the Nandas are portrayed as extremely rich and as ruthless collectors of various kinds of taxes. In Alexander’s period, Nanda military robustness was estimated at 20,000 Horse Guards, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 quadriga (chariots), and 3,000 elephants. In distribution the initiatives of the Nanda state are reflected in references to irrigation projects in Kalinga and the organisation of a ministerial council.
