In the ancient period of the Indian peninsula, Nanda Dynasty was one of the most prominent families that ruled Magadha between 343 BCE and 321 BCE. Some sources say that the kingdom ruled in Northern India between the 5th century BCE or mid-4th century BCE and 322 BCE. In this brief period, the dynasty expanded considerably and was immediately succeeded by the Maurya empire. Indigenous sources and legends, both Brahminical and Jain, suggest that the founder of the dynasty was Mahapadma who had a low social origin. Later, the dynasty was dethroned by Chandragupta Maurya with the help of Chanakya.
Origin, expansion and fall
The Nanda dynasty’s king Mahapadma dethroned the Shaishunagas empire and took over the reins with their policy of systematic expansion. The Magadha was once a prominent political seat and many kings ruled from there. His ruthless conquests and adventurous attitude helped him expand the empire.
The Puranic statements also add that he conquered all Kshatriyas and that he overthrew Ikshvakus, Pancalas, Kashis, Haihayas, Kalingas, Ashmakas, Kurus, Maithilas, Shurasenas, and Vitihotras, are independently claimed and with no concrete evidence is available.
During the reigns of the kingdom, as the names of the kings are not genealogically available and many historians differ in their period of ruling, the collective expansion can be discussed. The kingdom reached the banks of the Beas river from Magadha.
As per some sources, Alexander the Great invaded the North-Western front of India when Agrammes or Xandrames were ruling, whom modern historians identify as the last king of the Nanda Empire, Dhana Nanda. When the army of Alexander reached the Beas river, beyond which the Nanda empire was located, his army refused to go any further. It was a mutiny.
Alexander learned from Curtius that Agrammes (Dhana Nanda) had a large infantry and 20,000 cavalry, 3,000 elephants, and 2,000 four-horse chariots. Plutarch puts the numbers even bigger. Whichever the case, it implies that the Nanda empire had a significant army.
However, Alexander never fought with the Nanda empire. In the eventual years of the dynasty, it is not clear when and how the war started, but the fight between the last Nanda king Dhana Nanda and Chandragupta Maurya is found in several sources. Many sources also suggest that the later kings were not popular among their people because of their low social origins.
There are 9 kings as per the sources, however, their periods of reigns are not concrete. Even the names are not certain. Two kings, one founder Mahapadma, and the last king Dhana Nanda, hold prominent places in the history of the empire.
The Nanda were the successors of the Shishunaga dynasty. The Puranas refer 9 Nandas (Nava Nandas) who ruled for 100 years. The Mahabodhivamsa referred Mahapadmananda was the founder of the dynasty. According to Greek writer Curtius the first Nanda king had kept an army of 20,000 cavalry, 2,00,000 infantry, 2,000 four-horsed chariots and 3,000 elephants. Mahapadmananda was followed by seven Nanda rulers. Dhana Nanda was the last king of Nandas. It is stated that Alexander got information regarding the military strength and unpopularity of the last Nanda king. However, Alexander did not involve in war with Dhana Nanda because the soldiers of Alexander refused to continue their expedition as they had become home-sick and decided to return Macedonia. Later in 324 B.C., the Puranas refer to a dynastic revolution by which the Nandas were overthrown by the Mauryas. A detailed account of the same is given in Mudra Rakshasa of Vishakadatta. The Puranas refer to the Nandas as irreligious. It appears that they had their leaning towards Jainism and had Jain ministers. It is stated that Minister Kalpaka was instrumental in the execution of the programme of the extermination of all the Kshatriya dynasties of the times. S. K. Aiyengar refers the Nandas possessed a lot of wealth and were full in five treasures in his literary work. Nandas ruled for 100 years and last Nanda ruler Dhana Nanda’s rule was oppressive to the people in many ways. Kautilya employed strategy to overthrow Dhana Nanda. Chandragupta Maurya succeeded in establishing Mauryan dynasty in 324 B.C .with the help and guidance of Chanakya, said Dr. Sanmathi Kumar, HOD & Assistant Professor, Department of History, S. D. M. College (Autonomous), Ujire.
The famous kings of Nanda Dynasty are:
1. Ugrasen
2. Panduka
3. Pandugati
4. Bhuta-pala
5. Rashtra-pala
6. Govishanaka
7. Dasha-siddhaka
8. Kaivarta
9. Dhana Nanda
Administration, art and architecture
With very little authentic information available today, it is not very clear about most of the history of the Nanda empire. The Puranas explain that the Nanda kings referred to themselves as ‘ekarat’ or single rulers. It suggests that the empire was centralised and no other than a king was in power. But much of the Greek literature suggests the existence of a federal structure of governance in and around the Beas river.
As per historian HC Raychaudhuri, the Nandas controlled the core territories of present-day Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh and gave partial autonomy to other distant places.
In the empire, Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism were prevalent. About the art and architecture, mixed information is available as to whether the remains fall in the Mauryan period or the Nanda period. Much of it are legends.