What is Kalinga (historical region)?
{{no sources|date=February 2022}} '''Kalinga''' was a [[kingdom]] in what is now the country of [[India]], [[Odisha]]. It included a large part of [[Odisha]], northern [[Andhra Pradesh]] and a small part of [[Chhattisgarh]]. It was an independent kingdom. Kalinga fought against the [[Maurya Empire]] in 261 BC. The Maurya Empire was led by [[Ashoka]]. The effects of the war were described by Ashoka in [[Major Rock Edict 13]]. About 150,000 people were killed during this war. [[File:Standard Mauryan Empire.png|thumb|{{legend|#8c8792| Kalinga under Ashoka's reign in 261 BCE.}}]] Kalinga was an important [[port]] for [[trade]] because it was easy to reach [[Southeast Asia]] from there. Kalinga again became an independent state after the death of Ashoka. In Sangam literature, it is mentioned that Kharvela of Kalinga tried to invade north India against [[Pushyamitra Sunga|Pushyamitra]], the founder of the [[Sunga dynasty|Sunga Dynasty]], but there is no clear evidence of that. The Sunga Dynasty was founded just after the Mauryan. ==References== [[Category:Ancient India]] [[Category:Former monarchies of Asia]] [[Category:Former countries in South Asia]] {{History-stub}}