________________ # SIA IERIU OOO.. THE LICCHAVIS OF VAISALI Dr. DINES CHANDRA SIRCAR, M. A., Ph. D. Calcutta University The old city of Vaigali has been identified with modern Basadh to the east of the Gandak in the Muzaffarpur District of Bihar. It has been called Vesali in Pali works and Visala in some passages of the Ramayana and the Puranas. The city is said to have received its name from king Visala who was a son of Iksvaku accordidg to the Ramayana, but a descendant of Nabbaga, the brother of Ikshvaku, according to the Puranas. Several successors of Visala are also mentioned in literature. If the above tradition is to be accepted, it may be assumed that the city of Vaisali was founded several centuries before the birth of Buddha Sakyamuni in the first half of the sixth century B. C. In the days of Buddha and Mahavira about the latter half of the sixth century B. C., we find Vaisali in the possession of a republican clan known as the Licchavis; but the cause of the transition from monarchy to republic is unknown. At this time, the Licchavis were a member of the Vtji (called Vajji in Pali) confederacy of eight clans Of the eight confederate clans, the Vrjis, Licchavis, Videhas and Jnatrrkas were the most important. Scholars have suggested that the remaining four clans were probably the Bhogas, Ugras, Iksvakus and Kurus. The city of Vaisali was not only the capital of the Licchavi clan, but also the metropolis of the entire confederacy. According to tradition, the powerful Vaisalians invaded Magadha (South Bibar ) in
