Political History of Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) in Shaka or Scythians Period
History of Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) - Part 48
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-45
(All the History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral)
By: Bhishma Kukreti
After death of Greece king Menander (Milind of Buddhist literature), many soldiers established their own kingdoms in and around Punjab and they were under Greece rule just for sake of it. Audumbar, Kuninda, Yaudheya freed themselves from Greece rulers. The regional ambitions increased.
Around 115 BCE the pastorals or central Asian tribes entered India. Asfar as ruling iss concerned, the period of Shaka rule is supposed to be from 60 BCE to 80AD.
Moga or Maues was the great kings among all Shaka/Scythians who ruled first Taxila and then extended his rule to Mathura. The Shaka/Scythians king Moga orr Maues followed same rout as Applodemetrous used for rule extension.
Moga or Mues distributed his kingdoms into five 'Satrap' or Chhatrap or 'Kshatrap ' . There were main five branches of Scythians or Shakas in India. One Shaka branch was in Indian Afghanistan. Second branch of Shakas or Scythians was in Punjab having capital in Taxila. The third Shaka/Scythians branch was in Mathura, The fourth Scythians or Shaka branch was around Kathiyabar and Bharuch. The fifth Shaka or Scythians branch was around upper Deccan. Moga established his capital in Mathura. The Shaka/Scythians regional kings of these branches were very close relatives of Moga or Mues. Moga captured the commercial roads and by that way became king.
Decline of Kuninda Janapada
When Moga or Mues established the Shaka or Scythians kingdom in Mathura the Kuninda kingdom or Kuninda republicans came in danger. Kuninda capital Srughana was near to Mathura. The roads and transport facilities were easier. The time of Moga or Mues establishing Mathura kingdom and death of Kuninda king Amoghbhuti are at same period.
The historians state many possibilities by studying the coins and inscriptions of Shaka or Scythian age. It might be that some part of Kuninda went under Shaka/Scythians, Shaka used to attack on Kuninda or and Kuninda shifted to east (Kumaon/Garhwal).
The Parthian Invaders
The Purans and other literature suggest that Parthian (Pahlavas) also invaded India and established kingdom in Kandhar/Gandhar and had relationships with Moga.
The Shaka or Indo-Scythians Rulers/Regional Kings/Satrap
Maues- 85-60BCE
Vonones- 75-65BCE
Spalahores -75-65BCE
Spalgadames -50BCE
Azilises –before 60BCE
Azes 60-20BCE
Zeionises -10BCe-10AD
Kharahostes- 10BCe-10AD
Hajatriya –
Scythian or Shaka Culture
They were rustic, and roamers. The today's Gujjar or Bangujar of Uttarakhand are called the descendent of Shaka or Scythians.
Scythians were white color, had beard, long hair, long nose with deep eyes. The coins show that they used to love horse riding and used to keep Khadga. Shakas were completely non vegetarian. They liked onion and garlic very much. The brothers used to have one wife or one wife had many husbands.
Faith of Shakas or Scythians
Shaka/Scythians used to worship diu (lamp), earth and Sun. The sun used put long boot.
It seems when Shaka king became weekend the Shaka dissolved with other communities. In Uttarakhand, Shaka became part of Khasa communities or they diffused with local communities.
It might be that Shakas did not rule over but there are many cultural symbols those were initiated by Shakas in Uttarakhand as one wife by all brothers; offering animal blood to deities and goddesses; Sun deity putting long boot etc remind that Shaka had effects on Uttarakhand.
The historians state that 'couplets' poetry creating art was introduced by Shakas.
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 20/05/2013
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -49
Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas- to be continued…46
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Bhishma Kukreti
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