The Janapadas of Ancient Himachal

Four republics or early kingdoms are named in the sources. Each is identified by its territory, its literary reference and its coins — learn those three for each and the question answers itself.

Audumbara

• Territory: the Beas–Ravi tract, on the road from Takshashila to the Ganga valley.
• Descent: from the sage Vishwamitra (Kaushika gotra), per the Mahabharata.
• Polity: a republic with an elected king, later monarchical.
• Coins: copper and silver, Brahmi and Kharoshthi, some bearing Mahadeva; found at Kangra, Jwalamukhi, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur.
• Economy: sheep-rearing and woollen goods.

Trigarta

• Territory: the land drained by three rivers — usually the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
• Founder: Susharma Chandra, c. 8th–9th century BCE, who fought for the Kauravas against Virata of Matsya and built Nagarkot.
• Reference: Panini (5th century BCE) calls its people Ayudhajivi — living by arms.
• Coins: square, Brahmi and Kharoshthi.
• Successor: the Katoch dynasty of Kangra.

Kuluta

• Territory: the upper Beas valley; called Kulanthapitha, 'the end of the habitable world'.
• Founder: Bihangmani Pal, who came from Prayag; first seat at Jagatsukh.
• Coin: copper, c. 1st–2nd century CE, reading 'Rajna Virayasasya Kulutasya'.

Kulinda / Kuninda

• Territory: between the Beas, Sutlej and Yamuna — the Shimla and Sirmaur hills.
• Name: derived from the Kalindi (Yamuna).
• Coins: silver coins of Amoghabhuti; copper in Brahmi for local use, Prakrit in Kharoshthi for trade.
• Descendants: the Kanets of the interior hills.