The Geography of the Puranas c11.1

c11.1

THE Purāṇic lists of 'janapadas' (or territorial units) and people (or communities) are identical for the simple reason that each janapada is named after the community inhabiting it or vice versa. For instance, the Kuru janapada was the territory occupied by the Kurus, while Nāsikyas was the name given to the people occupying the Nasik region. Thus in all Purāṇic accounts the terms, 'people', and 'janapadas' are synonymous and interchangeable.