Malavas

Malavas
4th century BCE–7th century CE
GovernmentAristocratic Republic
LegislatureSabhā
History 
• Established
4th century BCE
• Disestablished
7th century CE
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Avanti (Ancient India)
Western Satraps
Kingdom of Malwa (350–545)
Chalukyas
Kingdom of Valabhi
Gurjara Confederacy
Today part ofIndia

The Malavas (Brahmi script: 𑀫𑁆𑀫𑀸𑀭𑀯 Mmālava) or Malwas were an ancient Indian tribe. They are believed to have lived in the Punjab region at the time of Alexander's invasion in the 4th century BCE.[2] Later, the Malavas migrated southwards to present-day Rajasthan, and ultimately to Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Their power gradually declined as a result of defeats against the Western Satraps (2nd century CE), the Gupta emperor Samudragupta (4th century), and the Chalukya emperor Pulakeshin II (7th century).

The Malwa region in central India and the region of Punjab with the same name are both named after them.[3] The Malava era, which later came to be known as Vikram Samvat, was probably first used by them.

  1. ^ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 145, map XIV.1 (d). ISBN 0226742210.
  2. ^ Yenne, Bill (13 April 2010). Alexander the Great: Lessons from History's Undefeated General. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-230-10640-6.
  3. ^ Grover, Parminder Singh; Singh, Davinderjit (2011). "Section 1: Introduction – Regions of Punjab". Discover Punjab: Attractions of Punjab. Photographs by Bhupinder Singh. Ludhiana, Punjab, India: Golden Point Pvt Lmt. Regions of Punjab: The much-truncated India's portion of present Punjab is divided into three natural regions: The Maiha, The Doaba, The Malwa. Majha: Majha starts northward from the right bank of river Beas and stretches up to the Wagha village, which marks the boundary between India and Pakistan. Majha in Punjabi means the heartland. The region is divided into three districts: 1. Amritsar, 2. Gurdaspur, 3. Tarn Taran. Doaba: The rivers Sutlei in the south and Beas in the North bound the Doaba of Puniab. The Doaba region is divided into four districts: 1. Jalandhar, 2. Nawanshahr, 3. Kapurthala, 4. Hoshiarpur. Malwa: The area south of the river Sutlej is called Malwa. The name has stuck because a clan called Molois (sometimes written as Malawis in ancient works) once ruled this area, which must have spread up to present State of Gujrat which was known as the Subah of Malwa as late as the Mughul times. Malwa the largest part of the Punjab is divided into the following 12 districts after the names of their headquarters: 1. Bathinda, 2. Barnala, 3. Faridkot, 4. Fatehgarh Sahib, 5. Ferozepur, 6. Ludhiana, 7. Mansa, 8. Moga, 9. Sangrur, 10. Muktsar, 11. Patiala, 12. Rup Nagar, 13. SAS Nagar – Mohali.