Audumbaras

Coins of Audumbaras

Audumbara is one of the most prominent ancient Himachal Pradesh tribes. They find the mention in Mahabharata and other historical texts. They are the same people who were mentioned as Odemboerce by Pliny in his book Historia Naturalis. They are mentioned in the Ganapatha of Panini of 5th century BC. They lived in the lower hill region of Himachal Pradesh somewhere between Chamba and Sirmaur and their capital is said to be known by the name of Kotesvara.

Their coins are among the earliest coins found in the region. They seem to have control on Kangra at that time as their coins mention the name of earlier Kangra rulers: Mahadcva, Dharaghosha and Rudravannan. Their economic prosperity as well as their building skills can validated from their coins bearing the inscription of gods and temples. Their economic prosperity maybe attributed to their control over some of the most important trade routes of that time.

Dharaghosha was probably the greatest Audumbara ruler. He said to have successfully checked the advancement of Indo-Greeks toward Upper Bari Doab and extend the boundaries of his state upto the bank of Sutlej river.

The Audumbaras fell just before the emergence of Kushana empire. Moreover, a branch of Audumbara may have migrated to Kutch, Gujarat.