Mod 3: The Nandas and Kalinga โ Evidence of the Hathigumpha Inscription: the Canal and the Kalinga Jina
Concept
8.5 The Hathigumpha evidence
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Nandaraja in Kalinga
The most important non-literary evidence for the Nandas comes from Kalinga (Odisha). The Hathigumpha inscription of the Jain king Kharavela (1st century BCE, in Prakrit and Brahmi) mentions a king called โNandarajaโ twice.
- Political: a Nanda king ruled Kalinga โ so the Nanda empire reached the eastern coast.
- Economic: the Nandas built irrigation canals โ an early example of state-sponsored public works.
- Religious and artistic: a Jina image existed in Kalinga before the Nandas โ one of the earliest references to image worship among the Jains.
- Hathigumpha (Udayagiri, Odisha) of Kharavela names Nandaraja twice.
- Year 5: canal opened by Nandaraja extended; Year 12: Kalinga Jina brought back.
- Question: Which Nanda work does Hathigumpha record? Answer: A canal in Kalinga.
- Question: Who issued the Hathigumpha inscription? Answer: Kharavela of Kalinga.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 2: The Hathigumpha Inscription of King Kharavela of Kalinga mentions which Nanda achievement?
[School] The Hathigumpha inscription was issued by:
[BPSC level] The Hathigumpha inscription is located near:
[UPSC level] According to the Hathigumpha inscription, Kharavela brought back from Magadha the:
[BPSC level] The Hathigumpha inscription is written in:
[UPSC level] The Hathigumpha reference to a Jina image is important because it is:
[BSSC pattern] The canal mentioned in the Hathigumpha inscription brought water from:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Which Nanda work does Hathigumpha record?
A canal in Kalinga.Who issued the Hathigumpha inscription?
Kharavela of Kalinga.Concept
8.6 Kharavela and the dating debate
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Inscription details and ti-vasa-sata
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| King | Kharavela of Kalinga, third of the Chedi (Mahameghavahana) line; a Jain |
| Date | Usually 1st century BCE (some scholars: 2nd century BCE) |
| Place | Hathigumpha cave, Udayagiri hill, near Bhubaneswar |
| Language / script | Prakrit / Brahmi |
| Opening | Jain salutation: namo arahantanam, namo savasidhanam |
| Other events | Year-by-year record of Kharavelaโs reign; raids on Magadha and the north; humbling of a Magadhan king โBahasatimitaโ |
The inscription says the canal had been opened by Nandaraja โti-vasa-sataโ years earlier. If read as 103 years, Kharavela would be placed in the late 3rd century BCE; if read as 300 years, in the 1st century BCE. Most historians now prefer โ300 yearsโ and the 1st century BCE date, which also fits the palaeography (style of letters).
- Kharavela: Chedi/Mahameghavahana, Jain, 1st century BCE; Prakrit in Brahmi.
- ti-vasa-sata = 103 or 300 years (300 preferred).
- Question: In which script is Hathigumpha written? Answer: Brahmi.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[UPSC level] Kharavela belonged to which dynasty?
[BPSC level] The Hathigumpha inscription opens with a salutation to:
[UPSC level] The phrase โti-vasa-sataโ in the Hathigumpha inscription has been read as:
[BSSC pattern] Most historians now date Kharavela to the:
[BPSC level] โHathigumphaโ means:
[UPSC level] Which statement about the Hathigumpha inscription is correct?
[BSSC pattern] The Hathigumpha inscription shows that the Nanda empire included:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
In which script is Hathigumpha written?
Brahmi.Concept
๐ฏ UPSC ยท BPSC ยท BSSC ยท State PSC level: PYQs, traps and mains
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Hathigumpha inscription and Kharavela; evidence for the Nandas |
| BPSC | Nanda canal in Kalinga; Kalinga Jina |
| BSSC / OPSC | Location and script of Hathigumpha |
The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela mentions which Nanda achievement? (a) Sudarshana lake (b) a canal in Kalinga (c) a Buddhist council (d) iron pillars
- Kharavela extended a canal first opened by Nandaraja. Sudarshana lake (Junagadh) belongs to Chandragupta Maurya and Rudradaman.
- Hathigumpha is in Odisha, not Bihar โ but it tells us about Magadha.
- Sudarshana lake = Junagadh (Chandragupta Maurya); Nanda canal = Kalinga (Hathigumpha).
- Kharavela was a Jain, not a Buddhist.
Model question: Discuss the value of the Hathigumpha inscription for the history of Magadha and Kalinga. Points: Nanda conquest of Kalinga; irrigation works; Jina image and Jain art; Kharavelaโs raids on Magadha; dating debate; corroboration of literary sources.
- Trap: Sudarshana lake โ Nanda canal; Kharavela was Jain.
- Question: Where is Hathigumpha? Answer: Udayagiri hill near Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[State PSC pattern] The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela mentions which Nanda work?
[UPSC level] Which pair is correctly matched?
[BSSC pattern] Kharavela followed which religion?
[UPSC level] Kharavelaโs inscription mentions humbling a Magadhan king named:
[BPSC level] Why is the Hathigumpha inscription valuable for Magadhan history?
[School] Kalinga roughly corresponds to present-day:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Where is Hathigumpha?
Udayagiri hill near Bhubaneswar, Odisha.