2018-04-11 Wed

Ashmaka Janapada is one of the 16 Mahajanapadas of ancient India. The word Ashmaka is derived from a Sanskrit word ‘Ashma’ which means stone or gem. Ashmaka is one of the regions of ancient India and also finds a mention in Panini’s Ashtadhyayi. The reference of Ashmaka Janapada is also found in the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya.

Ashmaka Janapada was located in northern Maharashtra between the Godavari and Narmada rivers. At present districts like Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon and Aurangabad can be identified as the region of Ashmaka. In Vayu Purana, there is a mention of Ashmaka as scions of the Ikshvaku family. In Mahabharata, there is a mention royal sage Ashmaka, who found the city of Podana. The featured coin depicts the silver Punch Marked Coin which is attributed to Ashmaka Janapada.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auction