What was the capital of the Vajji Mahajanapada?

Vajji (also spelt Vrijji) was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas of ancient India. It was located north of the river Ganga, in present-day northern Bihar. Its capital was Vaishali, in the present-day Vaishali district.

Vajji was not a single-tribe kingdom but a confederacy (sangha) of eight or nine clans, of which the Lichchhavis were the most powerful. Other clans included the Videhas and the Jnatrikas. It was governed by an assembly of clan chiefs (rajas) who met in a hall called the santhagara to discuss and decide matters. Because of this, Vajji is often described as one of the world's earliest republics, though power was held only by the elite clan members, not by ordinary people, women or slaves.

The Buddha admired the Vajjian system. When Ajatashatru, king of Magadha, sent his minister Vassakara to ask the Buddha about attacking Vajji, the Buddha listed seven conditions of their strength, such as meeting often in full assemblies, acting in harmony and respecting elders and traditions, and said they would not decline as long as they followed them. Ajatashatru later defeated Vajji, reportedly by sowing disunity among its leaders through Vassakara.

Vaishali is important for both Buddhism and Jainism:

• Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara, was born at Kundagrama near Vaishali.
• The Buddha visited Vaishali several times and announced his approaching death there.
• The Second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali (about 383 BCE) under Kalashoka.
• An Ashokan pillar with a lion capital stands at Kolhua near Vaishali.
• The courtesan Amrapali of Vaishali became a follower of the Buddha.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Rajagriha (Rajgir) was the early capital of Magadha.
• ✗Shravasti was the capital of Kosala.
• ✗Kaushambi was the capital of Vatsa.