Daradas

Daradaswere an ancient people who lived north and north-west to theKashmir Valley.This kingdom is identified to be theGilgitregion, in theGilgit-Baltistanregion (part of ancientBaloristan^[1]^[2]) along the riverSindhuorIndus.They are often spoken along with theKambojas.ThePandavaheroArjunahad visited this country of Daradas during his northern military campaign to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuyasacrifice.

Location of Daradas

TheVayu Purana,Brahmanda PuranaandVamana Puranamention the Daradas with the Kambojas, Chinas, Tusharas and the Bahlikas etc. The Bhuvankosha of the Puranas locates the Daradas,Kambojas,Barbaras, Bahlikas, Lampakas etc. in theUttarapathadivision of ancient India. e.g.:

ete desha udichyastu

KambojahDaradashchaiva Barbarashcha Angalaukikah ||

Chinashchaiva Tusharashcha Pahlavadhayata narah |^[3]

Puranas also refer to riverSindhuas watering the lands of Daradas,Gandharasand the Aurasas (Ursas).
Brhatsamhitagroups the Daradas with the Abhisaras and the Tanganas.
Mahabharataalso mentions the Daradas as neighbors to theKambojasandBahlikas.^[4]
Mahabharata locates the country of Daradas in theHimavata-Pradesa.
Ptolemyrefers to the Daradas as living below the sources of theIndus River.
Herodotusrefers to the Daradas asDadicaeand groups them with theGandharasand theAparytae.Herodotus andStraboalso connect the Daradas with the gold producing area located in the west ofTibet.There is an evidence that the Daradas, in ancient times, had their colonies located inBaltistanandLehalso.

All the above references locate the Daradas in Uttarapatha as neighbors to Kambojas ofKashmir-Nuristan.

Degraded Kshatriyas

Fight with Arjuna

Sabha ParvaofMahabharataattests thatArjunahad led a digvijaya expedition against theKashmiras,Ursas, Abhisaras, Sinhapuras, Suhmas, Daradas,Kambojas,Bahlikas,Lohas,RishikasandParama Kambojasetc.^[5]

Fight with Krishna

Drona Parvaof Mahabharata attests thatKrishnahad vanquished the Daradas along withAnga,Vanga,Magadha,Kasi,Kosala,Vatsa, Garga, Karusha, Pundra,Avanti,Daserka,Kashmira,Ursa, Madugalas,Kambojas,Pisachas, Malavas,Sakas,Yavanasetc.^[6]

Daradas in Yudhishtra's Rajasuya ceremony

The Daradas along with numerous other tribes from northwest had including the Bahlikas, Kiratas, Pahlavas, Paradas, Kambojas, Shakas, Yavanas, Trigartas, Kshudrakas, Malavas, Angas, Vangas etc. had joined Yudhishtra at hisRajasuyaceremony and brought him numerous gifts.^[7]

Daradas in Kurukshetra war

Daradas had also participated in the Kurukshetra war fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas. They are variously listed with Sauviras, Bahlikas, Shakas, Yavanas, Pahlavas, Paradas, Kekayas, Kambojas, Madras, Mlecchas, northern and westerner tribes etc.^[8]

Horses of Daradas

Brahmanda Puranarefers to the horses from Darada country.^[9]

Daradas in Brahatsamhita of Varahamihira

The Daradas are mentioned with theShakas,Yavanas,Paradasand theKambojasin the 6th-century AD Brhatsamhita of Varahamihira.^[10]They are also mentioned with the Abhisaras in the same text as living on the borders ofKashmir.^[11]

Daradas in Tibetan chronicles

The Daradas are mentioned in theTibetanchronicleDpag-bsam-ljon-bzah(The Excellent Kalpa-Vrksa), along people like theYavanas,Kambojas,Tukharas,Hunas,Khasasetc.^[12]

Rajatarangini references to Daradas

According to ancient textRajataranginiofKalhana,aSanskrittext from the north, kingLalitaditya MuktapidaofKashmirundertakes to reduce his neighbouring countries. He launches war expedition onto the region of north from Kashmir and first he fights with theKambojas^[13]and deprives them of their horses. Immediately after the Kambojas, he meets theTukharas.Tukharas do not give him fight, but run away even abandoning their horses in the field.^[14]Then Lalitaditiya meets the Bhauttas inBaltistanin westernTibetnorth of Kashmir,^[15]then the Dardas inKarakorum/Himalaya,^[16]the Valukambudhi^[17]and then he encountersStrirajya,^[18]theUttarakurus^[19]and thePragjyotisharespectively.

Kalhananames several Darada rulers:Acalamangala,during the reign of Ananta ofKashmir,AD 1028 to AD 1063,^[20]Vidhyadhara Shahiduring the reign of Harsa, 1089–1101 AD,^[21]Jagaddaladuring the reign of Uccala, AD 1101 to AD 1111,^[22]Manidharaduring the reign of Sussala, AD 1112 to AD 1120^[23]), andYasodharaduring the reign of Jayasimha, AD 1128 to AD 1149.^[24]

Epigraphic references to Daradas

Three inscriptions on rocks along theIndusandGilgitRivers in the southern reaches of theKarakoramprovide the earliest epigraphic references to Darada kings.The first inscriptionis found on rocks where the present-day road between Gilgit and Skardu crosses the Gilgit River, over a bridge known as the Alam bridge, now called the Farhad bridge. The inscription is in poorKharoshthi,and Fussman has read "daradaraya", meaning "King of the Daradas".^[25]The second inscriptionis found at Chilas Terrace, near to Chilas village along the Indus River, south of the junction of the Gilgit River and the Indus River. It is inBrahmi script.Hinuber has published a transliterationsrir daranmaharajavaisrava,which he interprets as daran-maharaja "great king of Daran" or "great king of the Daradas" (1989:57-8).A third inscriptionis immediately below the Thalpan bridge over the Indus River on the Thalpan side of the bridge. It is also in Brahmi script. Hinuber publishes a transliteration ofdaratsu maharaja sri vaisravanasena ssatrudamanah,which he translates as "The glorious Vaisravanasena, the subduer of enemies, great King in the land of the Daradas" (1989:59). Hinuber has interpreted theseBrahmi inscriptionsas referring to the same king Vaiaravanasena, and dates them to the 4th or 5th centuries AD. He remarks that this king "is the second oldest king of the Daradas known by name, preceded only by thedaradarayamentioned at Alam bridge in a Kharoshthi inscription "(1989:59). These inscriptions appear to be the only known self-reference to a Darada people.

References

^Jettmar, Karl."Petroglyphs as Evidence for Religious Configurations?"(PDF).Archived from the original on 2017-07-30.Retrieved2017-07-15.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Jettmar, Karl (1980),Bolor & Dardistan,National Institute of Folk Heritage.
^Kirfel's text of the Uttarapatha Countries of Bhuvanakosha, based on the Puranas.
^Mahabharata II.27.20-23
^Mahabharata II.27.18-25.
^MBH 7.13.15-18.
^Mahabharata 2.51-2.53; 3.51
^Mahabharata 6.51, 6.118, 7.20, 7.90, 7.116, 7.118, 8.73 etc
^Brahmanda Purana, III, Upodghata -pada 16-17
^Brhatasamhita verse 13.09
^Brhatsamhita verse 14.29.
^Tho-gar yul dań yabana dań Kambodza dań Khasa dań Huna dań Darta dań...(See: Pag-Sam-Jon-Zang (1908), I.9, Sarat Chandra Das; Ancient Kamboja, 1971, p 66,H. W. Bailey.
^Rajatrangini: 4.164- 4.165
^Rajatrangini 4.166.
^Rajatrangini 4.168
^Rajatrangini 4.169, 4.171
^Rajatrangini 4.172
^Rajatrangini 4.173-174
^Rajatrangini 4.175
^Rajatrangini VII, 167
^Rajatrangini VII, 913
^Rajatrangini VIII, 209
^Rajatrangini VIII, 614
^Rajatrangini VIII, 2454
^Fussman 1978:1-6.

[1] Jettmar, Karl."Petroglyphs as Evidence for Religious Configurations?"(PDF).Archived from the original on 2017-07-30.Retrieved2017-07-15.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[2] Jettmar, Karl (1980),Bolor & Dardistan,National Institute of Folk Heritage.

[3] Kirfel's text of the Uttarapatha Countries of Bhuvanakosha, based on the Puranas.

[4] Mahabharata II.27.20-23

[5] Mahabharata II.27.18-25.

[6] MBH 7.13.15-18.

[7] Mahabharata 2.51-2.53; 3.51

[8] Mahabharata 6.51, 6.118, 7.20, 7.90, 7.116, 7.118, 8.73 etc

[9] Brahmanda Purana, III, Upodghata -pada 16-17

[10] Brhatasamhita verse 13.09

[11] Brhatsamhita verse 14.29.

[12] Tho-gar yul dań yabana dań Kambodza dań Khasa dań Huna dań Darta dań...(See: Pag-Sam-Jon-Zang (1908), I.9, Sarat Chandra Das; Ancient Kamboja, 1971, p 66,H. W. Bailey.

[13] Rajatrangini: 4.164- 4.165

[14] Rajatrangini 4.166.

[15] Rajatrangini 4.168

[16] Rajatrangini 4.169, 4.171

[17] Rajatrangini 4.172

[18] Rajatrangini 4.173-174

[19] Rajatrangini 4.175

[20] Rajatrangini VII, 167

[21] Rajatrangini VII, 913

[22] Rajatrangini VIII, 209

[23] Rajatrangini VIII, 614

[24] Rajatrangini VIII, 2454

[25] Fussman 1978:1-6.

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