Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

The Vajjis - The Clan of Mahavira

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

The article explores the history and political landscape of the Vajjian confederation, a group of clans associated with Mahavira, one of the key figures in Jainism. The Vajjis, as described by…

The Karddamaka Kings

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

Some Problems of Pre‑Buddhist History and Chronology

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

Responding to criticism of his earlier work on the chronology of pre‑Buddhist India, the author defends his thesis that Janamejaya, Tura Kāvasheya and Indrota preceded King Janaka of Videha by…

The Successor of Kumara Gupta 1

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

The succession of the Imperial Guptas after Kumara Gupta I Mahendraditya remains contentious due to conflicting evidence from the Bhitari Seal of Kumara Gupta II (discovered in 1889) and other…

A Note on the chronological Relation of Kanishka and Rudradaman I

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

In this short article the historian compares two major rulers of early historic India: Kanishka, the Kushan emperor famed for his patronage of Buddhism, and Rudradaman I, the Western Kshatrapa known…

A Note on the Vastrapatha‑Mahatmya of the Skanda Purāṇa

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

The Vastrapatha-mahatmya section of the Skanda Purana's Prabhasa-khanda describes sacred sites in Vastrapatha (Girnar/Surdstra) and includes a legend about King Bhoja of Kanyakubja (Kanauj). The…

The Study of Ancient Indian Geography

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

The study of Ancient Indian Geography emphasizes the necessity of geographical knowledge for understanding India's history, including political, social, literary, and religious contexts. Key sources…

Seniya Bimbisara

By Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri

Drawing on Buddhist scriptures and Jain legends, this brief article sketches the life of Bimbisara, the fifth‑century BCE king of Magadha and a contemporary of the Buddha. It recounts his accession…