Tribes in Ancient India c50.341

c50.341

Pāṭaliputra was originally a village of Magadha, known as Pāṭaligāma, which lay opposite to Koṭigāma on the other side of the Ganges, which formed a natural boundary between Magadha and the territory of the Vṛji-Licchavis of Vaiśālī. The Magadhan village was one of the halting stations on the high road which extended from Rājagṛha to Vaiśālī and other places. The fortification of Pāṭaligāma which was undertaken in the Buddha’s lifetime by the two Brahmin ministers of Magadha, Sunīdha and Vassakāra, led to the foundation of the city of Pāṭaliputra,³ to which the capital of Magadha was removed by Udāyi or Udāyibhadda, the son and successor of Ajātaśatru. Thus it may be established that Ajātaśatru was the real builder of Pāṭaliputra, which was in fact the new Rājagṛha or new capital of Magadha, as distinguished from the old Rājagṛha or Girivraja with its outer area.