Lesson plan
Pithunda
Pithunda was a port in the ancient kingdom of Kalinga on the eastern coast of India. Pithunda, or Prithuda was the capital of an old kingdom. The region was situated adjacent to another kingdom, which is located in Bandar taluk, now the modern Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, not far from Masulipatam. Sylvain Levi considers that Pithunda was located to the south of Palur near Chicacola (Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh) and Kalingapatanam. Pithunda is described in the Jain text Uttaradhyana Sutra as an important center at the time of Mahavira (599 – 527 BC), and was frequented by merchants from Champa (now Vietnam). The Hathigumpha inscription says that Kharavela (c. 209 – 170 BC) conquered the city in his 11th regnal year. This occurred during a war between Kalinga and the Tamil confederacy to the south. After defeating the city, Kharavela is said to have ploughed it using a plough yoked to asses. Pithunda was called Pithundra in the Peripus and the Geography of Ptolemy (c. 90 – 168 AD).
Article summary
Pithunda was a port in the ancient kingdom of Kalinga on the eastern coast of India. Pithunda, or Prithuda was the capital of an old kingdom. The region was situated adjacent to another kingdom, which is located in Bandar taluk, now the modern Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, not far from Masulipatam. Sylvain Levi considers that Pithunda was located to the south of Palur near Chicacola (Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh) and Kalingapatanam. Pithunda is described in the Jain text Uttaradhyana Sutra as an important center at the time of Mahavira (599 – 527 BC), and was frequented by merchants from Champa (now Vietnam). The Hathigumpha inscription says that Kharavela (c. 209 – 170 BC) conquered the city in his 11th regnal year. This occurred during a war between Kalinga and the Tamil confederacy to the south. After defeating the city, Kharavela is said to have ploughed it using a plough yoked to asses. Pithunda was called Pithundra in the Peripus and the Geography of Ptolemy (c. 90 – 168 AD).
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.