“The forest chieftains were not considered part of the circle of kings by the political theorists, but they were recognized as a generic po- litical force that kings had to deal with. The ultimate triumph of mon- archy and empire involved the destruction of the oligarchies and the partial subjugation of the forest tribes. Along the way, the latter be- came recognized not only as cultural others, but also as political adver- saries as well as potential allies, although usually of an inferior kind.” Ancient IndiaMonarchiesCultural OthersForest ChieftainsForest TribesOligarchies Book:Political Violence in Ancient India Source: Political Violence in Ancient India
“The wilderness was a paradisical place of exquisite natural beauty. It was an unpredictable place inhabited by fierce and belligerent tribes. It was an abode of ugly, frightening demons. It was a place of involuntary and unhappy exile from the world of power and pleasure. It was an ideal place for the release from the burden of worldly existence. In exploring the forest as a site of political conflict, killing, and violence, we have to understand all the other things that it was and was not. In doing so, we are taken to the heart of ancient Indian political processes, to fundamental ideas about political and cultural identity, and to the definition of the self and the other.” WildernessAncient India Book:Political Violence in Ancient India Source: Political Violence in Ancient India