More about Vaishali, the world’s first republic

Vaishali, situated in Vaishali district in Bihar, is believed to be the world’s first republic and is currently an archaeological site in India. Vaishali derives its name from King Vaishalik, whose heroic deeds find a reference in the Ramayana.
Various references to Vaishali can be traced in texts of both Jainism and Buddhism; based on the information of these texts, Vaishali was established in 6th century BCE as a republic, i.e., before the birth of Gautam Buddha, thereby making it the world’s first republic.

Vaishali is also famous for being the home of Amrapali, who was a great courtesan and appears in Buddhist literature and many folktales. She is also credited in developing the city and making it prosperous. As per the records, she later became a disciple of Lord Buddha.
Vaishali is also strongly connected with Lord Mahavira of Jainism, who was born on the outskirts of Vaishali around 2550 years ago. He lived in this place until he reached the age of 22.
The city is also prominent for being a place where Buddha delivered his last sermon and announced his Parinirvana.

Although very little is known or recorded about the early history of this city, the Vishnu Purana has records of around 34 monarchs of Vaishali. Now, a prominent place for Buddhist pilgrimage in India, Vaishali is complemented with components that it lives up to its name.

And if you want to visit Vaishali and check out the world’s first republic, you can do so without any hassle as it is well-connected to all the major cities in the country.