Licchavi facts for kids
The Licchavi (also spelled Lichchhavi or Lichavi) were an important ancient group of people. They lived in a special kind of government called a republic in what is now the Bihar state of India. This was a very long time ago, even before the birth of a famous leader named Mahavira (around 599 BC). Their main city, or capital, was called Vaishali.
Later, from about 400 AD to 750 AD, a kingdom with the same name, Licchavi, existed in Nepal. This kingdom was located in the Kathmandu Valley.
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The Licchavi Republic in India
The Licchavi in India were known as a republic. This means they were ruled by elected leaders, not by a single king. This was quite unusual for ancient times! They were a powerful group during the time of Gautama Buddha, who lived around the 6th to 5th centuries BC.
Many old stories from Buddhism mention the Licchavi people. These stories tell us about their leaders and how they lived.
The Licchavi Kingdom in Nepal
Later, a different group also called Licchavi appeared in Nepal. This kingdom was in the Kathmandu Valley. It existed much later than the Indian republic, from about 400 AD to 750 AD.
Historians are not sure if the Nepalese Licchavi were directly related to the earlier Indian Licchavi. It's possible they just used the same name.
What We Know from Old Writings
We learn about the Nepalese Licchavi from their old writings, called inscriptions. These inscriptions were carved into stone or metal. The language used in these writings is Sanskrit, which was an important language in ancient India.
The way they wrote Sanskrit was very similar to the official writing style of the Gupta Empire in India. This shows that ancient India had a big cultural influence on the Licchavi kingdom in Nepal. This influence likely came through a region called Mithila, which is now in northern Bihar, India.
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