Rshikas were an ancient tribe living in the northern division of ancient India. They find references in the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Brhat Samhita, Markendeya Purana etc. Ashtadhyayi of Pāṇini does not mention the Rishikas, but Mahabhasya of Patanjali does make reference to this people. Mahabharata refers to the Rishikas as ''Uttara Rishikas'' as well as ''Parama Rishikas''. Rishikas are stated to have been living as neighbors to the ''Parama-Kambojas'' and the ''Lohas'' in Transoxiana region, in Saka-dvipa. In 2nd century prior to Christian era, a section of them is believed to have migrated to south-west India via Afghanistan, Balochistan, Sindhu, Sovira and settled in a region, later known as Khandesh (north-western Maharashtra). This settlement of the Rishikas is known as ''Southern Rishikas''. The southern Rshikas are also attested as Saha.isikas, Saha.chaisika and Saha.vaisikyas in Puranic literature. The Prakrit form of Rishika is said to be Isika/Ishika, Esika/Eshika or Asika/Ashika (Dr Motichandra). The ''Prishakas'' of Al biruni, are stated to be same as the Rishikas. The ''Uttara Rishikas'' were the military allies as well as the cultural & geographical neighbors of the Parama Kambojas.

Some scholars hold that the Rishikas are same as the Yuezhis. Prof Stein thinks that the Tukharas or Tusharas were a branch of the Yue-ches (Yuezhi), whereas Dr P. C. Bagchi holds that the Yue-ches, Tokharoi/Tokarai and the Tukharas/Tusharas were identical. Dr J. C. Vidyalankar believes that the Kushanas or Kanishkas are same as Rishikas. Thus, according to above several equations, the Rishikas are also identifiable with the Tusharas/Kushanas. On the other hand, based on the syntactical construction of the Mahabharata ''verse 5.5.15'' and ''verse 2.27.25'', the outstanding Sanskrit scholar Ishwa Mishra believes that the Rishikas were a section of the Kambojas i.e. Parama Kambojas. Dr V. S. Aggarwala also relates the Parama Kambojas of the Trans-Pamirs to the Rishikas of Mahabharata located in the Shakadvipa (or Scythia). According to Dr B. N. Puri, the Kambojas were a branch of the Tukharas. Based on the above Rishika-Kamboja connections, some scholars also claim that the Kambojas were a branch of the Yuezhi themselves. Dr Moti Chander also sees a close ethnic connections between the Kambojas and the Yuezhi.

The Rishikas are also stated to be same as the ''Asioi'' or ''Asii'' of Strabo. The name ''Asioi/Asii'', according to one view, alludes to their connections with ''Asva'' or ''Assa'' (horses). Based on the earlier information from Indika of Megasthenes (350 BCE- 290 BCE), Pliny (23 AD–79 AD) also mentions Osii/Orsi, Asoi, Aseni, Taxillae, Peucolaitae etc. among the Indian races living in the upper Indus valley south of Hindukush. The Taxillae and Peucolaitae are obviously the Gandharans of the Indian traditions while the Asoi, Osii/Orsi and Aseni appear yet other variants of the Assaceni/Aspasioi and Assacani/Assakenoi (Asvayana and Asvakayana of Pāṇini and Katyayana). The Aspasios and Assakenois (q.v.) were important clans of the Kambojas exclusively engaged in horse culture. It is therefore, very likely that the ''Asioi''/''Asii'' or ''Asiani'' of Strabo may have been or part of the people of Parama-Kamboja (the bigger and the further branch of the Kambojas and Parama-Rishikas living in Scythia or ''Shaka-dvipa'', across the Hindukush/Himalaya) in Transoxiana region. Thus, the Assakenoi and Aspasioi (the Asvakas) of Swat/Kunar valley appear to have been the earlier migrants from the Transoxian Parama Kambojas/Parama Rishikas.

Rishikas on Sarasvati/Greater Panjab

Matsya Purana wants to make us believe that the Rishikas were so called since they had descended from the Rishis or wisemen or learned parentage.

Since Sarasvati, in ancient times, was connected with people of scholarly lineage, Dr M. R. Singh tends to locate the Rishikas of the Puranic accounts on Sarasvati in Haryana.

Rishikas in Saka-dvipa

The name ''Rishika'' ans well as ''Parama Rishika'' occurs in Mahabharata as a part of Saka-dvipa.

These northern Rishikas have been addressed as Uttara Rishikas (i.e. ''Rishikan.uttaranapi'') and Parama Rishikas and are shown to be very close neighbors of the northern division of the Kambojas i.e. the Parama-Kambojas and the Lohans.

Per Mahabharata evidence, the allied tribes of the Lohans, Parama-Kambojas, northern Rishikas and Parama Rishikas had fought a fierce war with the forces of Pandava Arjuna during latter's Digvijay expedition against the tribes of Uttarapatha or northern division.

The ''Kishikindha Kanda'' of Valmiki Ramayana also refers to these northern Rishikas and locates them in ''Saka-dvipa'', in the neighborhood of the Sakas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Bahlikas, Tanganas, Chinas, Parama-Chinas etc. of the Central Asia.

Rishikas in South-west India

The Saka invasion of India in 2nd century BCE was a joint military venture in which the allied tribes of the Shakas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, Paradas, Rishikas, Bahlikas etc. seem to have participated. These tribes had spread into and occupied the parts of western and south-western India.

Thus, the Rishikas are attested in later literature as living in south-western/southern parts of India also.

Some verses in ''Karanaparava'' and ''Bhishmaparava'' of Mahabharata composed and edited during post-Christian times (400 AD) refer to the Rishikas in the Dakshinapatha or southern India and show them as a Janapada located in close vicinity to the Vidarbhas and the Ashmakas.

The ''Kishikindha Kanda'' of Valmiki Ramayana also refers to this second branch of the Rishikas and also places them in Dakshinapatha in the neighborhood of the Vidarbhas.

Many scholars assume that the current version of the Valmiki Ramayana was a creation of 200 BCE to 200 CE, hence this reference to the southern Rishikas .

Post-Christian creation Markendeya Purana also attests the Rishikas of the Dakshinapatha or southern division.

Likewise, a 6th century creation Brhat Samhita by Varaha Mihira also attests the Rishikas in Dakshinapatha or southern division.

The geographical location of these ''Rishikas'' is said to fall on river Krsnavena. Rishika country laid on south of Vindhya, north of Mulakas, north-east of Nasika, west of Vidharba and south of Anupa or Anupadesha.

Modern ''Khandesh'' is stated to have formed part of southern Rishika country.

It is notable that the same ''Brhat Samhita'' and the ''Markendeya Purana'' also attest some Kamboja and Pahlava settlements located in south-west India.

The geographical location of these Kambojas and Pahlavas is thought to be around Gujarat/Maharashtra somewhere, thus in close neighborhood of the southern Rishikas.

The following evidence from ''Udyogaparava'' of Mahabharata associates the ''Rishikas'' with the Kambojas, Shakas and Pahlavas and states them all living around ''Anupa region'' or ''Anupadesha''.

:''Shakanam Pahlavana.n cha Daradanam cha ye nripah |'' :'' Kamboja Rishika ye cha pashchim.anupakash cha ye ||5.5.15||''

Trans: ''The kings of the Shakas, Pahlavas and the Daradas, and the Kamboja Rishikas live in the west in Anupadesa or sea coast regions''.

''The Daradas in the verse above appears to be a copyist's mistake for Daradas since it were the Paradas, not the Daradas, who have, most often, been associated with the corporated military confederation of the Shakas, Kambojas and Pahlavas etc.'' (Pānca-ganah or five hordes of Kshatriyas in the Puranic texts, for instance).

''Anupadesha'' of Sanskrit traditions is stated to have comprised Doab of rivers Narbada and Tapti. It lay on east of Gujarat, north of Vindhya and south of the Avanti Janapada.

Whatever may be the context, these verses probably reflect on the post-Christian scenario when mass encroachment of interior India had occurred due to invasion of India by these foreign hordes.

On Kamboja Rishika Connection?

There are not enough references in ancient literature on Rishika clan. But it looks like there is somehow, a connection between the ancient Rishikas and the ancient Kambojas. Some notable observations follow: The ''Sabhaparava'' of Mahabharata portrays the Lohas, Kambojas and the Rishikas as very close neighborly and allied tribes and places them all in Saka-dvipa in trans-Himalayan territory. ''Adiparva'' of Mahabharata collates the Kambojas and the Rishikas together and views them both as ''despised'' people. Chandravarma, the king of Kambojas is branded as an incarnation of ''Daitya Chandra'' and also the sage Rishika (''from the Rishika tribe''), likewise is branded as an incarnation of ''Danva Arka''. One version of Mahabharata substitutes Chandravarma as Risika king in place of Kamboja. The Kambojas and Rishikas here are placed side-by-side in the same verse, thus implying them as possibly related or else closely connected together, geographically and culturally, at least. The ''Udyogaparava'' of Mahabharata also connects the Kambojas and Rishikas together and treats them as if they are one people (''Kambojarishika''). Based on the wording of this verse of Mahabharata, Prof Ishwa Misra, a very outstanding Sanskrit scholar and notable contributor on Indiancivilization forum, ''identifies the Rishikas as a sub-section of the Kambojas themselves''.

As noted above, both the Brhat Samhita as well as Markendeya Purana locate one section of the Rishikas in Dakshinapatha (south/south-west India), on river Krsnavena, probably in Khandesh (Maharashtra). Interestingly, the same two texts also locate ''one section of the Kambojas and the Pahlavas'' in south-west India, in ''Anupadesha'', which region borders on this south-western Rishika country. All these people are obviously sections of the invading hordes who had come and settled in India in the wake of 2nd century BCE Saka invasion of India.

Some scholars say that the tribal name ''Rishika'' implies scholarly class of people as Matsya Purana and the Vayu Purana would like us to believe. Thus Rishikas had either sprung from Rishis i.e. the scholarly parentage or else they, themselves, were a scholarly people. This may compare well with the Kambojas who, in ''Dronaparava'' section of Mahabharata, are also portrayed as a ''scholarly people''.

And so forth and so on.

Conclusions

The firm ''ethnical connection'' between the ancient Rishikas and the Kambojas may not be easy to establish due to inadequacy of sufficient reliable references, but whatever limited evidence we have with us definitely points towards this connection and at least attest the fact that the ancient Rishikas and the Kambojas were culturally, militarliy, politically and geographically connected together. Therefore, it may be possible that the Rishikas were a furthermost tip of the Parama-Kambojas.

References

Books and Megazines

Mahabharata, Tans: Kisari Mohan Ganguli.

Matsya Purana

Vayu Purana

Brhat Samhita of Varaha Mihira

Markendeya Purana

Mahabhasya of Patanjali

India as Known to Pāṇini, Dr V. S. Aggarwala

Geographical Data in Early Puranas 1972, Dr M. R. Singh

Ancient Kamboja, People and Country, 1981, Dr J. L. Kamboj.

The Mahabharata, Volume 2 : Book 2; Book 3: 1981, J. A. B. Van Buitenen

The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume 4 Kiskindhakanda 1994, Rosalind Lefeber.

Ethnic Settlements in Ancient India: (a Study on the Puranic Lists of the Peoples of Bharatavarsa), 1955, p 71, Dr Sashi Bhusan Chaudhuri

See also

Kambojas Parama Kambojas Uttara Madras Kurus Uttara Kurus Indo-Scythians Sakas Scythians Yona

Category:Ancient peoples Category:Iranian peoples

Coordinates	28°1′0″N153°24′0″N
name	Nidhi Subbaiah
birth date	February 16, 1985
birth place	Kodagu, Karnataka, India
yearsactive	2009–present
occupation	Film actress, model }}

Nidhi Subbaiah(kannada :ನಿಧಿ ಸುಬ್ಬಯ್ಯ ) (born 16 February 1985) is an Indian film actress and model, who has appeared in various television advertisements and in South Indian films, predominantly in Kannada.

Early life

Nidhi was born in Kodagu, Karnataka, India as the only child to her parents. She along with her family later moved to Mysore, where she spent most of her childhood and did her education. She has done her schooling from St. Joseph's Central School, Mysore, Karnataka and went on to study Civil Engineering from Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, Mysore, but dropped out to pursue a career in acting.

Career

She first ventured into modelling, appearing in various television commercials, with Fair and Lovely being the most notable, through which she landed her first acting assignment, She made her acting debut with ''Abhimaani'' in 2009, which did not fare well at the box office.

Filmography

Aparna Kamala ''Krishna Nee Late Aagi Baaro'' Divya Ambika ''Veera Bahu (film)

Year !! Film !! Role !! Language !! Notes
rowspan="3"	2009	''Abhimaani''	|	Kannada language>Kannada
''Chamkaysi Chindi Udaysi''	|	Kannada
''Sweet Heart''	|	Telugu language>Telugu
rowspan="3"	2010	|	Lakshmi	Kannada language>Kannada
''Betting Bangarraju''	|	Telugu
''Pancharangi''	|	Kannada
rowspan="3"	2011	Veera Bahu'' ||	Devi	Kannada
''Krishnan Marriage Story''	|	Kannada	Released
''Vara (film)	Vara''	|	Kannada	Filming

References

Category:1987 births Category:Kannada people Category:People from Kodagu Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Kannada film actors Category:Indian female models Category:Living people

kn:ನಿಧಿ ಸುಬ್ಬಯ್ಯ

Coordinates	28°1′0″N153°24′0″N
name	Jennifer Dinshaw Kotwal
birth date	14 August 1983
religion	Zoroastrian
religion	Zoroastrian
occupation	Actress
website	}}

Jennifer Dinshaw Kotwal is a Parsi model and actress from Mumbai, India. She went to school at Villa Teresa High School in Mumbai, and completed her studies with a degree in Economics at HR College, also in Mumbai.

She started her acting career with Hindi television serials such as ''Just Mohabbat''. She has modelled for Lakme, Fanta, Close-up and Cadbury, among others. She then enacted smaller roles in Hindi films such as Subhash Ghai's ''Yaadein'' before landing the lead in the 2005 Kannada movie ''Jogi'' opposite Shivarajkumar, which set box office records,thus establishing herself as a leading contemporary actress of kannada cinema Shooting for the sequel to ''Jogi'' commenced in June 2009. She appeared as Abhishek Bachchan's sister in ''Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai''. In 2009 she made her Bollywood debut as a lead heroine in ''Mudh Mudh Ke Na Dekkh Mudh Mudh Ke'', opposite Himesh Reshammiya.

Kannada

''Ugadi (film)

		Year!! Film !! Co-star
2005	Jogi (film)>Jogi''	Shivarajkumar
2006	Shri (film)>Shri''
2007	Masti (2007 film)>Masti''
2007	Ugadi''|| Ravichandran, Srikanth
2007	''Sathyavan Savithri''
2007	''Snehana Preethina''
2007	''Lava Khusha''
2007	''E Bandana''
2008	Nee Tata Naa Birla'' >
2008	''Mast Maja Maadi''
2010	''Eradane Maduve''
2010	''Bisile''
2011	Prince (2011 film)>Prince''

Hindi

		Year !! Film !! Co-star
2001	''Yaadein''	Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor
2009	''Mudh Mudh Ke Na Dekkh Mudh Mudh Ke''

References

External links

Jennifer-dinshaw

Official Facebook Fan Page of Jennifer Kotwal

Official Youtube Channel of Jennifer Kotwal

Category:Indian actors Category:Living people Jennifefsdf Kotwal Category:1983 births

kn:ಜೆನ್ನಿಫರ್ ಕೊತ್ವಾಲ್