Himachal Pradesh Ancient History

 Ancient History

In prehistoric time outside the Indus valley, the Indo-Gangetic plain was inhabited by Proto- Australoid or Munda speaking kolarian, when the people of Indus valley spread through and they pushed forward the kolarian people. They fled to northward and entered Himachal valley. In the Vedic period they were called Dasas, Dasayus or Nishads. Chamuri, Dhuni, Pipru and Sushna were their powerful king, who put up strong resistance to Aryan advancement. In post Vedic literature they were mentioned as Kinnaras, Nagas and Yakshas.

Kols also known as munda who were perhaps the earliest and original migrant to HP. Their powerful king according to Vedas was Shambara who had 99 strong forts. It is generally accepted that in the prehistoric period the Aryans left their central home, one branch of Aryan crossed the Pamir, entered to Kashmir and then HP. The branch came to be known as the Khashas (Kshatriya). These khashas were war like tribe. When they settled permanently they organized themselves into family and villages, their head was called Mavi or Mavana, with the passage of time these Mavanas developed into tribal republic which was called Janapadas.

Other branch of Aryans which is known as Indo-Aryan, when they left central Asia, they moved southward and came to Iran then they cross Hindkush came to Indus valley which they called Sapta-shindhu or land of seven rivers. They over run who used to live in fortified cities in very civilized manner. Now they crossed Punjab and moved up to foothill of Himalayas. The dark skinned dwellers, which the Aryan called Dasayus offered a strong resistance under the leadership of Shambara who was defeated by Aryan King Devodas after fighting a war of 40 years and destroy 99 forts. The battle was fought at Udubraj where sharmbar and his ally Virchi was killed by Devodas. This war is mention in the Rigveda.