Disappearance of Himalyan Republics states

Central Authority

• In 327 B.C. Alexander from Macedonia crossed the Afghanistan as advanced as far as river Beas in 326 B.C. Alexander met stiff resistance in Punjab and also says that soldiers refused to cross Beas and returned back to Macedonia and died on the way at Babyloan in Afghanistan.

• After departure of Alexander, Chandra Gupta Maurya gained Magdha in 324 with help of Chanakya who is known as Kautilya and Vishnugupta.

• Chaneragupta fought a battle against Alexander’s governor and with the help of Himalyan chief Parvataka who was the ruler of the territory between the Ravi and the Yamuna.
• Ashoka the grandson of Chandra Gupta extended his boundaries in the Himalyan region. He was a staunch Buddhist . He sent group of Buddha Monks – Kasapagotta, Dundhibissara Sahadeva and Mulankadeva to spread Buddhism in Himalyan regions. This mission was headed by Majjimaha.

• Mauryan dynasty was followed by the Sunghas . During Sunghas reign local republics of HImalya became free and issued their own coins.

• Sunghas was followed by by Kushanas. Kanishka was the greatest ruler of this dynasty. Kushana copper coins were found on the Kalka Kasauli road.

• In the 4th century A.D. Guptas were emerged as power with capital at Patliputra.The great King of his dynasty was Samudargupta also known as Napolean of India and Kavi Raj. His achievement has been mentioned by his minister of defence, Harisena on Allahabad Pillar that Himalyan rulers have accepted Samudargupta’s paramountacy without having any armed conflict.

• Other famous ruler of Gupta’s dynasty was Chandergupta – ii. The plot of Vishakadutta play “Devichanderaguptam” which tell the story of Ramagupta his wife Druva Devi and Chandergupta – ii who killed Saka king in order to protect Druva Devi. There is no reference to republic Adumbaras in any inscriptions and books. It shows that Adumbras came to an end in the 4th century.

Disintegration of states :

Kunindhas :

• Kunindhas republic fragmented into many small kingdoms with the rise of Guptas power in 4th century A.D. One of these small kingdoms Kiratpur which is found mentioned in the Allahabad inscriptions. The history of the kingdom is documented from around the 2nd century BCE. They are mentioned in Indian epics and Puranas. The subhankar relates they were defeated by Arjuna.
• One of the first kings of the Kuninda was Amoghbhuti, who ruled in the mountainous valley of the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers (in today's Uttarakhand and southern Himachal in northern India).
• The Greek historian Ptolemy linked the origin of the Kuninda to the country where the rivers Ganges, Yamuna, and Sutlej originate.
• One of the Edicts of Ashoka on a pillar is also present at Kalsi, in the region of Garhwal, indicating the spread of Buddhism to the region from the 4th century BCE.
• The Kuninda kingdom disappeared around the 3rd century, and from the 4th century, it seems the region shifted to Shaivite beliefs. According to Hari Krishan Mittoo author of numerous books on Himachal, the Kanets are descendents of Kunindas.

Adumbaras :

• The Audumbras, or Audumbaras were a north Indian tribal nation east of the Punjab, in the Western Himalaya region. They were the most important tribe of the Himachal, and lived in the lower hills between Sirmaur, Chamba and Yamuna.
• They issued coinage from the 1st century BCE, when they seemingly gained independence from the Indo-Greeks. The silver coins of the Kunindas, the Vemakas and the Audumbaras closely follow the coins of Apollodotus II in their characteristics (weight, size and material). Their coins are found in the area of Pathankot, Gurdaspur District.
• From the coins of 200 B.C. – 48 A.D. it appears that for some time Audumvara were under Indo-Greek and after that under Kusanas. The Prakrit legends Aduinvarisa – ‘of the Audumvara’ appears on the copper coins and pieces of Audumbara tribe in Punjab. The word Audumvara refers either the people connected to the Fig tree, Audumvara or where the tree was grown in abundance.
• It appears that a section of Audumvara tribe migrated to Gujarat, may be due to internal conflict or some aggression. In course of time these people merged into local population.

Trigarta :

The Trigata people seem to have faced foreign aggression and Guptas subjugation. 

 Samudragupta's invasion :

Eminent historian Romila Thapar mentions that along with the Greeks, the following were mentioned as vratya kshatriyas or mlechhas: Dravida, Abhira, Sabara, Kirata, Malava, Sibi, Trigarta, and Yaudheya. She provides multiple historical mentions during the period between when Panini(5th Century B.C.) penned the existence of Trigarta and the 5th Century A.D. when Samudragupta invaded Trigarta and various other kingdoms.

Invasion by Ghazni :

In the 8th century A.D, the Trigarta rulers acknowledged supremacy of the Karkota rulers of Kashmir. This is also mentioned in the Rajtarangini. From the 9th century to the 11th century, there are various mentions, one of the important ones being the 10th century Chamba inscription which mentions the Trigarta raja being subdued by Sahilavarman and then becoming an ally. It was also during this time that Ghazni entered the Kangra fort (1009 A.D.) while the Kangra forces were away on war. The ruler of the time was Jagdish Chandra. From that point on, save one or two rulers, all rulers of the Katoch dynasty vanshavali can be traced down to the last king
During this time three new powers i.e. Bushahr and Sirmaur came into existence and in the area of upper Ravi Chamba was founded by Meru Verman. Its capital was Brahmputra.

Hunas attack on whole state :

 In the middle of 5th century A.D. a central asian tribe , The Huna accompanied by Gujjars entered Punjab and moved towards Yamuna valley under the leadership of Toraman and he was succeeded by his son Mihirgula amd later conquered Sirmaur. In 520 A.D. he was defeated at Kahru ( Multan ) by united forces of Baladitya of Magadha and Yashodharman of Malva.

After the Guptas Empire and before emergence of Harsha except Kangra and Kullu, the whole of Himachal was divided into small Apthakurai ruled by Raja, Rana and Thakurs.
Harsha ascended the throne in 606 A.D. and the central power now shifted first from Patliputra to Thaneshwar to Kannauj.

Nirmand plate in Kullu district which is made of copper belongs to 7th century A.D. The plate mention the name of Maharaja Vermasen and his successor. The Sena dynasty appears to have been subordinate to the rules of Kuluta.