Alternate Views On Maurya Origin
Although most of the sources claim Chandragupta to be of east Indian origin, additional views have been proposed by an alternative school of scholars. Some scholars relate Sandrocottos (or Androcottos) with Sisicottos of the Classical writings. Sisicottos was the ruler of Paropamise (Hindu Kush) who had helped the last Persian satrap Bessus of Bactria against Alexander but later co-operated with the latter throughout the Sogdian campaigns. During Alexander's campaign of Kabol and Swat valleys, prince Sisicottos had rendered great service to Alexander in reducing several principalities of the Ashvakas. During war of rock-fort of Aornos, where Alexander faced stiff resistance from the local people, Sisicottos was put in command of this fort of great strategical importance. Arrian calls Sisicottos the governor of Assakenoi. It is however not clear at all whether this Sisicottos was same as Sandrocottos or if they were brothers or else they were related in someway. Dr J. W. McCrindle and Dr H. R. Gupta think that they both possibly belonged two different branches of the Ashvakas. Meri was probably another political centre of the Mor or Meros people. It is asserted by some that the name Moriya or Maurya comes from the Mor (Modern name Koh-i-Mor i.e. Mor hill---alleged to be the ancient Meros of the classical writings) located in the Paropamisade region between river Kunar and Swat in the land of Ashvakas (This name, however, refers to the Meru mountain of Chitral, Tirich Mir; there also is a Deva-Meru, modern Diamar). It is claimed that since Chandragupta Maurya could have belonged to Mor he was called Moriya or Maurya after his motherland. Dr Spooner observes: "After Alexander's death, when Chandragupta marched on Magadha, it was with largely the ] army (Shaka-Yavana-Kamboja-Parasika-Bahlika) that he won the throne of India. The testimony of the Mudrarakshasa is explicit on this point, and we have no reason to doubt its accuracy in matter of this kind". Although this theory contradicts the Mudrarakshasa, which talks about Malayketu forming an alliance with Persians not Chandragupta. As per the Mudrarakshasa, Malayaketu, together with Rakshasa, the last minister of Nanda and his Persian allies wanted to invade Pataliputra, the capital of Chandragupta, though their alliance was undone by Chanakya, who managed to attract Rakshasa to the Maurya side. A Jat writer ] published a paper titled The Mauryas: Their Identity in 1979 and a book titled Jats the Ancient rulers in 1982, wherein he concludes that the Mauryas were the Muras or rather Mors and were jatt of Scythian or Indo-Scythian origin. It is claimed that the Jats still have Maur or Maud as one of their clan names. The Rajputana Gazetteer describes the Moris as a Rajput clan.
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