Dranga

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Drangyari is near Chowkibal, Kupwara

Chabahar-Delaram-Zaranj-Herat-Kabul Road Map

Dranga (द्रंग) was an ancient Kingdon in Kashmir. It is a matter of research to find link of Dranga with Drangyari (द्रंगयारी), the major hill destination in Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir region.

It may be related with ancient Drangiana and modern Zaranj in southwestern Afghanistan, near the border with Iran.

Variants

• Drangæ/Drangae (Pliny.vi.21)

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Darag = Drangæ (Pliny.vi.21)

In Rajatarangini

Dranga (द्रंग) was a kingdom mentioned in Rajatarangini .

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Rajatarangini tells us ... At this time, in the mouth of Shravana, the grateful king (Simhadeva) went to Vijayeshvara to welcome the victorious lord of Kampana. In the meantime Utpala who was coming from Pinchadeva at Shurapura was murdered by the lord of Dranga in a mountain cavern. He was returning from Pushpananada in order to serve Pinchadeva, when he was found out by the lord of Dranga who was secretly looking out for him. But the lord of Dranga was thrown on the ground and was on the point of death. His knee was pierced with arrow. He killed a soldier of the enemy's party whom he found by him. The king, after he had bestowed favors on the lord of Kampana, was on his return. He stopped at the gate of Avantipura when Sura of Dranga bowed to him.[VIII (i), p.136]

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Rajatarangini tells that....Koshtaka imprisoned the chiefs of the several departments of government, and, like a king,- collected rent from the subjects in Dranga, in his own name, and left no money in Sindhu. (VIII (i), p.178)

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Rajatarangini mentions....Rajavadana Balhara was born of Ojas, a leader in the army and in the womb of a chaste woman. This Ojas beamed with prowess, and during the civil war, adorned Sussala's army which was, as it were, a test stone of heroism for the principal warriors. Rajavadana was, during his childhood, called the long-blanket-clad. Owing to the faithfulness of his father, he was retained by the king in his service, and the possession of the estates of Ebenaka &c. was gradually given to him. But Nāga, born in the hermitage of Khuya, turned the king against Rajavadana, whereupon the latter, with a view to fight, held him in subjection. All feared that being a servant, he would not act cruelly towards the king, and not being a Lavanya, would not stand against the sovereign.

Then Alankara who had reached Dranga and had taken possession of the estates was sent by the king with money, to subdue Bhoja. Bhoja said to the Damara [Alankara], " I am ready to go to you, but should yon depart leaving me, I will kill myself." The other promised to see him on the next morning. When thus promised, [Bhoja] without saying any thing to any body left Kotta at the fourth watch of night And when he [Alankarachakra] inquired after him who, though then rained, was looking after the road, he heard that [Bhoja] had gone out of the fort at the latter end

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[p.246]: of the night. The irrepressible Bhoja, with a limited number of followers, journied on by day and went to the shrine of the goddess Shāradā. But out of pity and feeling ashamed to appear before the females of his kinsmen, without the two kinsmen who accompanied him, he, though advanced in years, like a young man, five times tried [to leave the place]. He believed that he would be blamed by men, and felt no desire to go to Durāṅḍa. He went by the road along the banks of the Madhumati with the intention to fight with the help of the people of Darad. He spent five or six days in the way, and the days were very dreadful. Sometimes he passed over rough and broken stones, sometimes the clouds hid the light and darkened all sides, spreading themselves like the net of death. At times masses of snow, like elephants, slided down making the day dreadful. At times the rush of the water fall, like arrows, pierced his body. Sometimes the wind, hurtful to the body, penetrated him into the skin. And at times his eyes, distressed by the sun, were fixed on the moon. The days became fearful on account of the fall of snow. He then descended down a plain not quite level but extended. The descent was difficult, and though he walked down, yet he frequently thought as if he was ascending. At last he reached a village in the skirts of Darad.

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Rajatarangini tells that....Pinjadeva, lord of Dranga, attended by a handful of warriors, such as were not sufficient even to count the soldiers of Lothaka, sent the latter in the direction of death or in the river. A multitude of blazing pyres were reflected in the river, and it seemed, as if the last rites of those who were drowned were being performed. Thus one day, Lothaka, forgetful of death, and taking with him his faithful men, fought an arduous battle and on the next day, he was beaten back with a broken force. He had thought that it would be easy to take within two or three days that lonely town in which he had collected an army from all sides. [VIII (ii),p.255]

In Mahabharata

Dranga (द्रङ्ग) (Naga) in Mahabharata (I.52.8)

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Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Book I Chapter 52 mentions the names of Nagas who fell into the fire of the snake-sacrifice. Dranga (द्रङ्ग) (Naga) (Naga race of Takshaka) was mentioned in Mahabharata (I.52.8)......Uchchhika, Surasa, Drangas , Balaheda, Virohana; Shili, Shala, Kara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana, .....

See also

• Drangiana