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Agroha / Agra Republic
was established around 51 years before
the war of Mahabarat.According to writers
of "Bhavishya Puran; Ke Agravansh"
"Vanishanukirtnam" and "Uru
Charitam" Maharaja Agrasen ruled
some 5000 years back over Agroha
around the time of Mahabharat.
This belief is testified
by the mention of the republican state
of Agrayan in a couplet shloka
of the great epic Mahabharata.
"Bad`ana, raoihtkaMScaOva Aaga`oyaanamaalavaanaaip
mahaBaart vana Pava- -255:20
Agroha was a Republican
State consisting of 18 state units. The
residents of this states were known as
Yodhya and Agraya .Some
of the writings on the coins that have
been excavated from the site of ancient
Agroha read as 'Yodhyanam Bahu Dhanya
Kanam','Yodhya Ganasya Jaya', 'Yodhyanam
Jaimantra Shalinam'.
The Agroha republic was
renowned for its bravery and prosperity.
However over the time it could not stand
the foreign invasions of Hunas, Greeks
and Yavanas, who invaded the north India
disintegrating various kingdoms in Punjab.
The disintegrated Agroha led to the migration
of the residents of Agroha to other parts
of the country viz Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab and Malwa, however they derieved
a common name Aggarwals ie. AGROHA-WALE.
Historical Background
Tolmy , a greek writer in his book titled
"Example of Geography" has mentioned
about a city called "Agara".
This has been equated to "Agrohe"
by the geologist Rannal. In the map supplemented
in the book of Tolmy "Agara"
has been shown at the same place as the
present " AGROHA"
Moshio Prajluski has
in his writings identified Agroha as "
Agrodak" or " Agrod" This
statement has been further testified by
the writings on coins found from Agroha
wherein 'Agrod' or 'Agacha' state has
been written in the Brahm Lipi (script
).
Dr. Satyaketu Vidyalankar
has written that Agroha existed some 100
Years before the kushan dynasty.
According to the Punjab
Govt. Gazzette " Agroha" was
a very big ancient city. The primary efforts
to discover its historical past were made
in the year 1888-89, when the Indian Govt.
started excavations at the ancient agroha
site under archaeologist C.T. Rogers.
However the intial excavations were carried
out only for 15 Days.
The excavation was restarted
in the year 1938-39, though even this
could not be carried on for long due to
the IInd world war but it provided major
historical input towards Agroha's existence.
In 1978-79 the Archaelogical Department
of Haryana Govt. began excavation work
under the guidance and supervision of
Mr. J.S.Khatri and Mr. Acharya.
It is quite apparent
from the excavations that below the mounds
existed a big, well planned progressive
town.
Some of the materials
collected from the excavated site :
Coins:
Large number of coins have been
found at the excavated site. The coins
are predominantly of silver & bronze
in different shapes and sizes. The Script
and signs on the coins depict that they
belong to different periods.
The bronze coins have
"Agadke,Agach, Janpads" in prakrit language
inscribed on them. A coin dated 200 BD
called die struck or counter struck has
been found besides Roman , Kushana , Yodhaya
and Gupta dynasty coins.
Seals:
The seals that have been found at Agroha
have been inscribed with words like "Pitradutt"
" Sadhu Vridhasya" "Shamkar Malasya" "Madrsya"
etc.
Artifacts:
From the excavation site
many statutes made of stone and sand have
benn unearthed. Masks, Terracotta Animals
and Toys have also been found. Utensils
belonging to 2C B.D. in black ,brown and
red polish have also been discovered.
Maharaj Agrasen
"In order
to live in heaven after death, we shall
have to live in heaven before death"
avowed Maharaj Agrasen, the king of Agroha,
born to king Vallabh of Pratapnagar some
5182 years back. Maharaj Agrasen, was
king of great administrative skill. His
concepts of kingdom and the duties of
the king towards his subjects have evolved
him as a centurial man. Equality, Nationalism,
Socialism and Non-Violence were the principles
which formed the backbone of his kingship.
Maharaj Agrasen established
the republican state of Agroha. Agroha
consisted of 18 state units. The head
of each state unit was given a
Gotra. All the residents
of that particular state unit were identified
by that Gotra. It was maintained
by Maharaj Agrasen that a nupital alliance
could not take place in the same Gotra.
That is a girl of "Goel"
Gotra could not marry a
"Goel boy", but could be married in any
of the other 17 Gotra. This rule
enunciated by Maharaj Agrasen promoted
harmony and brotherhood among all the
18 Gotra represented by state units. This
facilitated promotion of unity and nationalism
among the state units.
|
Aren |
Bansal |
Bhandal |
Bindal |
Dharan |
Garg |
|
Goel |
Goen |
Jindel |
Kansal |
Kuchhal |
Mangal |
|
Mittal |
Mridkul |
Nagal |
Singhal |
Tayal |
Tingal |
Maharaj Agrasen was a
doer (a Karmyogi) who conjured
prosperity for all. An adherent of Socialism,
he devised a unique rule in order to ensure
an egalitarian society. He promulgated
that any person coming to Agroha to settle
down permanently, shall be given one rupee,
one brick, by each resident of Agroha.With
the bricks he could build a house for
living and with the money so collected
he could set up his own business. This
way through a small help by each a person
could attain a equal status in the society
of equals.
He adopted the ideal
of Non-Violence during the 18th
Yagna, wherein he realised
the futility of animal sacrifices. The
Yagna was being performed
for the establishment of the 18th Gotra.
This realisation led him to become
one of the strong protagonist of 'Non-Violence'
"Instead of targeting a crane with
an arrow, I wish to see it flying;
Instead of eating away a nightingale,
I wish to hear it singing"
He banned all animal
sacrifices.
However, his belief in
nonviolence did not mean non-resistance
to oppression,rather he promoted self
defence. According to him self protection
and national defence were not the task
of only kshatryas - the
warrior caste, rather it is the duty of
each citizen to protect and safeguard
his motherland.
The ideas of Equality,
Socialism and non-violence propounded
by Maharaj Agrasen 5000 years back form
the spirit of the present Constitution
of India. But, we Indians have not been
able to cultivate these ideals into our
lives, they remain simply words in our
constitution. It lies upon us now to adopt
these ideals in our lives as a tribute
to our progenitor. |
