The Mandala Stands Strong: An Ancient Timeline.
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thanks! Just wanted to make some character development with him and his son!
Yes, I am wondering how many political developments will happen due to this
War sucks.
Nice bit of father-son bonding. The young prince has much to learn.
Nice bit of father-son bonding. The young prince has much to learn.
Tibet right now is a mess of proto-Tibetan nomadic tribes. However Tibet is going to be important further down the lines
You know, a hundred years later, Alexander will arrive to Hindu Kush and travel around the Punjab. But Chandragupta will be messing around all India, and some dynasties too before him. And now, you have most of Nepal united, with all the chinese cashflow. I can expect big developments from here.
You gave me a nice idea. I'm calling him.
@Sarthak Bikram Panta Yo, can we get an interaction between Alexander and the Shakya Kings? Maybe even earlier Greco-Buddhism?
I have plans regarding the inevitable Greek Invasion of Hindu Kush. I am reading Alexander's personality for it.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
***
Nanda looked on passively as he saw the thirty or so Kings of the Mandala stand up as he strode into the Grand Hall of Kasthamandap, meant for all the Kings of the Mandala. The War had opened his eyes, and whilst too radical a reform would be turned down immediately, the man today strode forward with a mission in his hands, as the rough sided feeling of the Lokta Paper gripped his hands.
He turned as he reached his throne, the throne of the High King and watched all the 30 kings who stood unblinking looking straight forward with their hand curled at a salute next to their foreheads. Nanda’s right hand rose and he deftly pulled his hand down again. The Kings posture’s loosened and they all sat down on their respective thrones.
He drank a cup of water to loosen his throat before he started to speak.
“Welcome Kings of the Mandala to the palace of Nepa where the great sage Nepa is said to have named our people and nation!” Nanda spoke with a stern authoritative voice. “Today we are here at a momentous day, for today we have to change!”
A ripple of confusion swept the kings of the Mandala as small whispering broke out amongst them.
Nanda coughed to gain their attention back. The kings quietened down and looked at him. Nanda unfolded the paper in his hands and began to read the directives he, his ministers, his wife and Rahula had poured into to make.
“These are the following reforms I wish to propose to the Mandala. Obviously they shall be put forth for vote like for all reforms and remember for all the new kings here that a 45% majority is required in the Mandala of Kings to pass the reforms. Now may I begin?” Nanda asked.
“Aye!” Came the answer.
“The very first reform is our coordination and administration. The Economics of the war with Kosala showed how fragmented our economies were and the need of economies being integrated. Therefore I am proposing an Economic Council where 1 delegate from each kingdom shall be the Economic Ambassador to the Economic Council and all major decisions shall be made in the Economic Council.” Nanda explained. He stopped as the first point was made and his eyes swept across the room. “Are there any questions?”
“Nay!”
“Good, let us move to the second reform then. This is of our military. Once again the time taken to mobilize and raise our troops was horrendously slow. If not for the fact that the Kosalan method of raising troops was even more horrendous than our own, our military situation would have been very dire. I propose each Kingdom in the Mandala to be a quasi-military state with an active army posted in them. The Kosalan professional troops that we faced clearly showed the advantages of a professional army and if we can replicate them, then our military prowess would hitherto increase.” Nanda stopped to gather his breath as he finished with the second reform.
Nanda took a deep breath and asked “any questions or comments?”
“Comment and Question your highness!” Came the gruff voice of the elderly King of Gourkha.
“You may speak.”
“I agree wholeheartedly with this part of your proposed reforms, however how much standing professional men, as you put it, are we going to maintain is each kingdom? Our population is sporadic and not maintained all across the Mandala.” Questioned the Old King of Gourkha as he twirled his bright white beard and mustache.
Nanda smiled as he replied. “Thank you, your highness King of Gourkha. That is a good question. From all the surveys Rahula gave me it seemed that we raised around 5% of the entire population of the nation. This is slightly a number too high, however we have agreed that 3% of the nation being involved in the army would not only give us a strong military backbone, but it would also make the people more disciplined with our martial traditions more ingrained. Thus 3% of all the kingdom’s population for the military states.”
“Ah, thank you your majesty for clearing that up for me.”
“Of course, your highness. Are there any other questions in the hall?”
“Nay!”
“Very well.” Nanda stated as he looked at the last reform he was going to talk about. “Finally unity in command. Before, the Kings of the Mandala only convened when the High King asked them to. Now, we must unite and solve our problems together. A Meeting of the Kings and High King shall take place every 5 summers in this palace to discuss grievances and potential reforms and development plans. This must be done for further unity in the Mandala………Are there any more questions?”
“Nay!”
“Very well.” Nanda folded the paper again. He looked at the kings impassively and said “Now the reform is up to vote. I vote in favor of the reforms.”
The end result was 26-7 result in favor of the reforms. Nanda smiled as he spread his hands and stood up from his throne. “Today is a great day it seems. Our ministers shall collude with each other for the implementation of the reforms. Our Mandala Shall Bear the Test of Time forever! The Mandala Stands Strong!”
***
The next day
Nanda was standing at the gates of the palace with his wife and son as he watched Rahula huff and pick up a lorry of bags and items with him. Nanda smiled slightly at his cousin uncle with a sad mile stretching at his face.
“Rahula…..is this necessary?” asked Nanda softly.
Rahula looked up and smiled. “It is. I must spread the good words of my father far and wide. I have achieved that in Kasthamandap, now I must continue my duty.”
“I am your king, I could order you to stay.” Jested Nanda.
“Perhaps.” Humored Rahula.
Nanda rubbed his forehead before looking at his cousin uncle again. “I can understand your position, however I have never been left without you except for temporary periods of time. And now you are going for good, it is…..quite perturbing.”
“I would think so.” Rahula answered. “However you are high king, in your thirties now, and an experienced man, I am sure you can take care of yourself and your family along with the Mandala. Besides, it’s not as if I won’t keep in touch. The lettermaster of the Royal Court made that clear to me.”
Nanda erupted into laughter at Rahula’s quip. “True! The Lettermaster is quite the work in a man. However do keep in touch Rahula, do keep in touch……………”
“I will.” Rahula stated as he hefted his makeshift bag onto his back. He waved at Prince Krit and bowed to Yamuna before turning around and walking away with a few of disciples. It would be the last time King Nanda saw his cousin uncle.
Nanda looked at the Master of the Palace standing impassively and ordered “Keep watch on Rahula and his entourage with troops until they cross the border into the Southern Kingdoms.”
“Yes your majesty.” The man bowed and left to carry out the order.
Nanda sighed as he looked up in the air. The gentle smooth brownish yellow skin of his granduncle Gautama flashed in front of his eyes.
“Do not hold on to something selfishly that does not wish to be held down.” Gautama’s words came to him. Nanda smiled and looked at the road where Rahula was now a speck in the distance. Nanda raised his hand in farewell and turned away.
***
A poet he was. A small poet from the Kingdom of Kosala. The great King Nanda had saved him, saved him from death as the houses burnt around him. His talent infamous among the populace of his village.
Kritagna paused as his writer paused before the Lokta. Poetry was clearly not his calling, as so many of his old villagers liked to tease him about. However a story, a story about the brave new founder of a great new dynasty of the Mandala seemed to have a certain…….attractiveness to it. Kritagna smiled as his hand moved and his writer started to write on the Lokta paper.
And just like that, the name Kritagna became associated with the very first story writer in Asian history.
***
The Writings of Kritagna
At least Nepal isn't suffering from the "waaaaaaaay too many nobles with the ability to just veto literally anything, even if everyone else supports it" problem that Poland-Lithuania had.
I'm assuming that this is similar to the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire.
I'm assuming that this is similar to the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire.
Yeah it was very similar though the voting system went into disuse around the 1100 AD years
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