Vajjis

Vajjis, also known as Vajji or the Vajji Confederacy, were an ancient Indian republican polity in the era of the early Mahajanapadas, located in the region of present-day Bihar with Vaishali as their capital. The Vajji represented a gana-sangha, a federation of several city-republics (janapadas) that governed themselves through a common assembly and council rather than a centralized monarchy. The Licchavi clan was the most prominent member, and the confederacy included other allied republics, united by shared institutions and diplomatic practices.

The political system of the Vajjis featured periodic assemblies in which representatives from member communities participated. Decisions on law, foreign policy, and war were made collectively, and magistrates or chiefs were typically elected from among the member populations. The arrangement emphasized consensus and collegial governance, though specific structures and procedures varied over time in Buddhist and Jain accounts.

In the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, the Vajji Confederacy rose to regional prominence, centered on Vaishali, a major commercial and political hub. They maintained an autonomous foreign policy and played a significant role in the networks of trade in the Ganges plain and its eastern corridors. Buddhist texts describe the Vajji as one of the oldest and most well-known republics in the Indian subcontinent.

Their decline is commonly attributed to military pressure from Magadha, led by King Ajatashatru, according to traditional sources, which led to the incorporation of Vajji member states into Magadha. Vaishali continued as an important urban center after the fall of the confederacy.

Today, the Vajji are studied as an important example of early republican governance in South Asia, illustrating the diversity of political formations in ancient India. The site of Vaishali remains an important archaeological and pilgrimage destination.