Taank Kingdom

Taank Kingdom (also known as Takka[3][4][5] or Taki[6]) was a kingdom based in Punjab, during 6th and 7th centuries ruled by Takkas who are identified as ancient inhabitants of Punjab.[7] The main source regarding the kingdom are the chronicles of Xuanzang as well as other sources.[8] The kingdom was located south of Kashmir, north of Sindh and east of Zunbil dynasty, extending from the Indus river in the west to the Beas river in the east, centered around modern day Sialkot.[8]

Taank Kingdom
circa 550–circa 700
Taank Kingdom shown in violet in the north of the Indian subcontinent circa 700 AD.
Taank Kingdom shown in violet in the north of the Indian subcontinent circa 700 AD.
Location of the Taank Kingdom, and neighbouring South Asian polities circa 600 CE, after the retreat of the Alchon Huns.[1]
CapitalShekilo (modern day Sialkot)
Ṭakin or Ṭakkáwar[2] (possibly)
Religion
Hinduism
GovernmentMonarchy
History 
• Established
circa 550
• Disestablished
circa 700
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Alchon Huns
Hindu Shahis
Turk Shahis
Today part ofPakistan
India

Etymology

A "Tseh-kia" kingdom is mentioned by Hiuen-Tsang (631-643 A.D.).[5][9] It is mentioned by him as situated towards east of Gandhara. The Chach Nama (history of Sindh) mentions it as Tak.[10] The earliest Muslim author who mentions the kingdom is a merchant named Sulaiman. He visited the area before 851 AD, when his account was written. In his account, the kingdom is mentioned as Táfak (طافك).[11] In 915 AD, the Arab historian Al-Masudi mentions it as at-Tákin, referring to the hills of the Punjab region. The name is read Tákin (طاقين) by Sir Henry Elliott, and Táfan (طافن) by Gildemeister, in his extracts from Masudi.[11]

Takin, Tafan, Tafak, Taffa, Takas, and Takishar, are various readings of the original form which is Taki or Takin. M. Reinaud gives another spelling, Tában (طابن).

History

Ibn Khordadbeh, who died in 912 AD, mentions the king of the confederacy as next in eminence to the Balhara, whereas Kazwini mentions a fort named Taifand, the location of the fort agrees with the account of the hill of Sangala (near modern Sialkot).[11]

They are included among 36 royal dynasties mentioned by James Tod. According to him the names of some of the rulers were Ratapat, Bahurpal, Sahajpal and Madanpal.[12]

Xuanzang's visit

During Xuanzang's visit, the neighboring state of Bofadou was a vassal (or province) of Taank.[13][8] He also noted Mihirakula's capital to have been at Sagala within Taank.[8] Despite having an illustrious Buddhist heritage as evident from three colossal stupas, Buddhism had declined in the region (Punjab) after the Gupta period due to preference give to the propagation of Hinduism,[14][15] and later collapsed[16] after the Alchon Hun persecution,[17] resulting in it being sparsely practiced in only about ten monasteries. On the contrary, Brahminical Hinduism rose as the primary religion in the region and there were several hundreds of Hindu Deva shrines.[8] He visited Lahore in 630 AD during Taank rule[12] and described it as a great Brahmin city.

"The country of Takka is south of Kashmira, extending from the Indus river to its west and Vipasha river to its east. They produce abundant quantities of non-sticky rice and wheat, also gold, brass, iron and other metals. They do not believe in Buddhism, and pray in several hundred deva temples. This country has ten Buddhist monasteries left." There were many more before, states Xuanzang.[8][18][19][17]

See also

References
  1. Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 26.
  2. Cunningham, Sir Alexander (1871). The Ancient Geography of India: I. The Buddhist Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. Trübner and Company.
  3. Handa, Om Chanda; Hāṇḍā, Omacanda (2001). Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya: Wooden Temples. Indus Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-81-7387-115-3.
  4. Grewal, J. S. (1998-10-08). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-521-63764-0.
  5. Bakker, Hans (2015-06-29). The World of the Skandapurāṇa. BRILL. p. 113. ISBN 978-90-04-27714-4.
  6. Ahmad, Aijazuddin (2009). Geography of the South Asian Subcontinent: A Critical Approach. Concept Publishing Company. p. 81. ISBN 978-81-8069-568-1.
  7. The Panjab Past and Present. Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University. 1977. p. 9. Aurel Stein and Cunningham both agree in identifying Takkas with Madras or Bahikas of Mahabharata - both being the ancient inhabitants of the Punjab. In the lexicon of Hemacandra also, the Bahikas are said to be the same as Takkas.
  8. Li Rongxi (1996), The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Berkeley, pp. 97–100
  9. Balogh, Dániel (2020-03-12). Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia: Sources for their Origin and History. Barkhuis. p. 307. ISBN 978-94-93194-01-4.
  10. Vishveshvaranand Indological Journal, Vol XVI (in English, Hindi, and Sanskrit). Hoshiarpur: Vishveshvaranand Vedic Research Institute. p. 92.
  11. Cunningham 1871, p. 151-152.
  12. Tod, James (1829). Annals and Antiquities of Rajast'han, Or, The Central and Western Rajpoot States of India. Madras: Higginbotham and Co. 1873. ISBN 9788120603509.
  13. Balogh, Dániel (12 March 2020). Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia: Sources for their Origin and History. Barkhuis. p. 279. ISBN 978-94-93194-01-4.
  14. Gopal, Navjeevan (May 3, 2019). "In ancient Punjab, religion was fluid, not watertight, says Romila Thapar". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2023. But after the Gupta period, Buddhism began to decline
  15. Fogelin, Lars (2015). An Archaeological History of Indian Buddhism. Oxford University Press. p. 149. ISBN 9780199948239. the emergence and spread of Hinduism through Indian society helped lead to Buddhism's gradual decline in India.
  16. McNair, Amy (2007). Donors of Longmen. University of Hawaiʻi Press. p. 89. ISBN 9780824829940. Retrieved March 9, 2023. ... and the destruction of Buddhist establishment in Northwest India by the Hephthalite invader, Mihirakula (502-542) in the early sixth century.
  17. Ghosh, Amalananda (1965). Taxila. CUP Archive. p. 791. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  18. Singh, Upinder (2017). Political Violence in Ancient India. Harvard University Press. p. 241. ISBN 978-0-674-97527-9.
  19. Foreign Influence on Ancient India by Krishna Chandra Sagar p.216

Bibliography

Cunningham, Alexander (1871). The Ancient Geography of India: I. The Buddhist Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 150–154. ISBN 9788121510646.

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