Mahajanapadas - Kuntala

Kuntala

The Kuntala janapada was located in southern Maharashtra and northern Karnataka state before it was annexed into the Magadha Empire. The Kuntala janapada comprised of modern Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur, Ahmadnagar and Bid (Maharastra), as well, North Karnataka and the Simoga and Citaldurga districts of the old Mysore State. In an inscriptional passage the upper valley of the Krishna is said to be in the country of Kuntala ( Mirashi, Studies in lndology, Vol. I, p. 9.). In the Udayasundarikatha of Soddhala (11th cen. AD.) Pratisthana on the Godavari is the capital of the Kuntala country. The Aihole inscription (7th cen. AD.) speaks of three Maharastras, comprised of Vidarbha, Aparanta and Kuntala. It is described as a seven and half lakh province. The Early Chalukyas of Badami and the Later Chalukyas of Kalyani were known as Kuntaleshwaras or lords of Kuntala. Satavahanas and Rastrakutas were known as Kuntalesvaras (rulers from Kuntala).

Kuntala Janapada issued coins dated to 600 to 450 BC. This is one of the seventeen Janapadas which issued coins before Mauryas. The usual coin from Kuntala has a mysterious design that resembles a system of pulleys with or without a triscele symbol. These coins have previously been assigned to the Ashmaka janapada, but are now assigned to Kuntala. Because of the force of the striking of the die on a round planchet, these coins have a scyphate shape. The coins are in copper and Silver. The highest denomination weighs from 6.3g to 7.5g. Their symbols include Scorpion.