Magadh

Magadh, also spelled Magadha, is an ancient Indian region that corresponds largely to the southern part of present-day Bihar and parts of Jharkhand. It lies along the lower Ganges and its tributaries, with major early urban centers at Rajgir (Rajagriha) and, later, Pataliputra (modern Patna). The region's fertile plains and strategic river networks helped it grow into a political and economic hub in ancient India.

Magadh was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas mentioned in early Indian sources. It rose to prominence under the Haryanka and Nanda dynasties, with Bimbisara and Ajatashatru expanding its power. Around 322 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya established the Maurya Empire, which reached across much of the subcontinent; Ashoka, his grandson, expanded administration and promoted Buddhism, leaving edicts across Asia. After the Mauryas, Magadh was ruled by the Shungas, Kanvas, and subsequent dynasties, continuing to be a major political and cultural center.

Culturally, Magadh was a beacon for religious and intellectual development. Bodh Gaya, the site of the Buddha's enlightenment, lies in its traditional heartland. The region is well represented in ancient texts, including Buddhist and Jain literature and Greek descriptions such as Megasthenes’ Indica. Its legacy persists in later regional identities and in the enduring associations with Buddhism and early Indian state formation.