Kosala Kingdom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kosala Kingdom
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| unknown (?~1200 BCE)–unknown (?~500 BCE) | |
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Kosala and other kingdoms of the late Vedic period
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| Capital | Ayodhya |
| Religion | Vedic Hinduism |
| Government | Monarchy |
| Maharaja (King or Chief) | |
| Historical era | Bronze Age, Iron Age |
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• Established
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unknown (?~1200 BCE) |
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• Disestablished
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unknown (?~500 BCE) |
Kosala was an important ancient kingdom in India. It is famous because of Rama, a celebrated hero from the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. The capital city of Kosala was Ayodhya, which is still a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, today.
After Rama, his sons Lava and Kusha each ruled parts of the kingdom. Lava ruled from Ayodhya, while Kusha ruled from a city called Kushavati. There was also a part of Kosala in Madhya Pradesh, known as Dakshina Kosala (Southern Kosala). Rama's mother, Kausalya, came from this southern kingdom. King Rama's influence reached far, even to the island kingdom of Lanka in the southern ocean. He was also friends with the forest dwellers (called Vanaras) from the kingdom of Kishkindha.
Rama's brother, Bharata, helped establish the Gandhara kingdom and founded the city of Takshasila. Gandhara was near the Kekeya Kingdom, where Bharata's mother, Kaikeyi, was from. Rama's second brother, Lakshmana, founded Lakshmanapura near the Ganges River, which is now known as Lucknow. He also helped establish the Vanga kingdom. Rama's youngest brother, Satrughna, cleared a forest called Madhu and founded the city of Mathura, which later became the capital of the Surasena Kingdom.
Later, a king named Rituparna ruled Kosala. Another ruler of Kosala, Brihadbala, fought in the Mahabharata war and was killed by Abhimanyu, a brave warrior.
An old record from 1880 describes Uttara Kosala (Northern Kosala) as one of the five main parts of Rama's kingdom. This area included modern districts like Bahraich, Gonda, Basti, and Gorakhpur.
Contents
Kosala Kingdom Through the Ages
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Ancient Times: The Treta Yuga
The ancient Indian epic Ramayana tells us a lot about this period.
Kosala Proper and Southern Kosala
In the time of Rama's ancestors, there was one large Kosala kingdom. Its capital was Ayodhya, located near Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, India. During the rule of Dasharatha, Rama's father, Dakshina Kosala (Southern Kosala) became important. It was located in Madhya Pradesh. Dasharatha married his first wife, Kausalya, from this southern kingdom.
How Kosala Split in Two
After Rama, his sons Lava and Kusa each inherited half of the Kosala kingdom. Ayodhya remained the capital for a while. Eventually, the kingdom split into two main parts. Lava ruled from Sravasti, which was north of Ayodhya. Kusa ruled from Kusavati, which is believed to be east of Ayodhya.
Later Times: The Dvapara Yuga
The Indian epic Mahabharata gives us information about this era.
During the time of the Kurukshetra War, when the Pandavas and Kauravas ruled, many kingdoms were known by the name Kosala.
Kingdoms from the Original Kosala
Rama's original Kosala (Kosala Proper) had already split into two parts because his sons became kings. By the time of the Kurukshetra War, it had split into five different kingdoms.
Eastern Kosala
This was likely the kingdom ruled by Kusa, with Kusavati as its capital. Its people were said to have fled south to the Kuntis because of the Magadha king Jarasandha.
Northern Kosala
This was probably the kingdom ruled by Lava, with Sravasti as its capital. The Pandava general Bhima defeated this kingdom during his military campaigns to the east.
Kosala of Vrihadvala (South of Ayodhya)
Vrihadvala was a Kosala king who served as a general under Duryodhana in the Kurukshetra War. This kingdom was also defeated by the Pandava general Bhima. It seems this Kosala kingdom also had power over the nearby kingdom of Kasi to its south. This might be why Kasi-Kosala was sometimes considered one kingdom. In the past, Kasi might have been a smaller state under Kosala. The grandmothers of both the Kauravas and Pandavas were sometimes called princesses of Kasi and sometimes princesses of Kosala, which supports this idea.
Central Kosala (with Ayodhya as Capital)
This was the original Kosala kingdom ruled by King Rama. During this era, it was ruled by Dirghayaghna. This kingdom was also defeated by the Pandava general Bhima.
Kingdoms from Southern Kosala
The original kingdom of Rama's mother, Kausalya, known as Dakshina Kosala Kingdom, split into at least two parts during the Kurukshetra War. This is clear from the Mahabharata, which describes the military journey of the Pandava general Sahadeva to the south.
Western Kosala in Central India
This kingdom was close to the Vidarbha Kingdom. Sahadeva defeated this kingdom first before moving on to Eastern Kosala.
Eastern Kosala in Central India
After defeating the other Kosala kingdom, Sahadeva defeated many kings in Eastern Kosala. This suggests there were several kingdoms in this area, even though they were all known as Eastern Kosalas.
