Tribes in Ancient India c36.21

c36.21

The Jātakas contain a number of references to the Kaliṅga country and its kings. Thus, for example, according to the Kumbhakāra Jātaka, Karaṇḍu was a Kaliṅga and he was a contemporary of Nimi, king of Videha. The Mahāgovinda Suttanta makes Sattabhū, king of Kaliṅga, a contemporary of Reṇu, king of Mithilā and of Dhataraṭṭha or Dhṛtarāṣṭra, king of Kāsī and Aṅga. The Jātakas also refer to the capital city of Kaliṅga which was Dantapuranagara which is probably identical with Dantakura mentioned in the Mahābhārata,⁸ Dantapura of inscriptions.⁹ Other cities of the Kaliṅga country are also known, e.g. Rājapura,¹⁰ Simhapura,¹¹ which is probably identical with Singupuram near Chicacole,¹² Kāñcanapura of the Jainas,¹³ and Kaliṅganagara which has been identified with Mukhaliṅgam on the river Vamśadharā.¹⁴ Kaliṅga (Kāliṅga) is mentioned in the Niddesa.¹⁵ From Kaliṅga the Buddha’s tooth was brought to Ceylon at the time of King Sirimeghavaṇṇa. A Kaliṅga king picked up a quarrel with Aruṇa, the Assaka king of Potali, but was defeated and had to surrender.¹⁶