The 16 mahajanapadas were

• Magadha
• Avanti
• Kosala 
• Vatsa 
• Kuru 
• Malla 
• Chedi 
• Kashi 
• Anga 
• Vajji 
• Panchala 
• Matsya 
• Surasena 
• Asmaka 
• Kamboja 
• Ghandhara 

At present the deads are disposed off according to their faith. While the Muslims and Christians bury their dead, the Hindus cremate them. In prehistoric and ancient times, sometimes dead were buried along with ornaments and other articles. This practise indicated their social position. However, at present there are very rare instances of the dead being buried with their belongings. At present, the dead is buried with his/her name on the headstone at the burial site. The headstone to some extent can tell us about the social status of the dead.  

 When we discussed something as dynamic it should be understood that something has not remained stagnant, or it should be understood that with the main narrative there was addition of other narratives into the main body making it richer with the passing of time.
As we can see that the growth of the Mahabharata did not stop with the Sanskrit version. Over the centuries, versions of the epic were written in a variety of languages through an ongoing process of dialogue between peoples, communities, and those who wrote the texts. Several stories that originated in specific regions or circulated amongst certain people found their way into the epic. At the same time, the central story of the epic was often retold in different ways. And episodes were depicted in sculpture and painting. They also provided themes for a wide range of performing arts – plays, dance and other kinds of narrations.
It is also believed that many Didactic in the text were later additions, making it on the one point story for someone and on the other hand for someone a tool to control people.                           

The religious practices of Harappan Civilisation

(i). Terracotta figurines of women, heavily jewelled, some with elaborate head-dresses. These were regarded as mother goddesses.

(ii). Rare stone statuary of men in an almost standardised posture, seated with one hand on the knee – such as the “priest-king” – was also similarly classified.

(iii). Structures have been assigned ritual significance. These include the Great Bath and fire altars found at Kalibangan and Lothal.

(iv). Plant motifs, are thought to indicate nature worship.

(v). Some animals – such as the one-horned animal, often called the “unicorn” – depicted on seals seem to be mythical, composite creatures.

vi). In some seals, a figure shown seated cross-legged in a “yogic” posture, sometimes surrounded by animals, has been regarded as a depiction of “proto-Shiva”. Besides, conical stone objects have been classified as lingas.

Given the bewildering variety and variation in the different recensions of the Mahābhārata, in the late 19th century a movement began to create a “critical edition" of the epic. This task was undertaken at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, in 1917 and was completed nearly 50 years later in 1966. Teams of Indian and Western Indologists, supported by traditionally trained śāstrīs and highly qualified university students, undertook this gargantuan task.

Numismatics is the study of coins, including visual elements such as scripts and images, metallurgical analysis and the contexts in which they have been found.
The study of coins has helped the numismatists to reconstruct the possible commercial networks in the following ways:

Introduction of Coinage for Trade Facilitation To some extent, exchanges were facilitated by the introduction of coinage. A wide range of goods like salt, grain, cloth, metal ores and finished products, stone, timber, medicinal plants, etc were carried from one place to another. These certainly required some kind of currency for exchange.
Hence, these led to the development of coinage across the trading cultures.

Excavation of Punch-marked Coins across the Sub-continent Punch-marked coins made of silver and copper ( 16th century BCE onwards) were amongst the earliest to be minted and used. These have been recovered from excavations at a number of sites throughout the sub-continent. Numismatics have studied these and other coins to reconstruct possible commercial networks.

Kings, Merchants and Bankers as Issuing Authority Attempts made to identify the symbols on punch-marked coins with specific ruling dynasties, including the Mauryas, suggest that these were issued by kings. It is also likely that merchants, bankers, and townspeople issued some of these coins.

The similarity of Kushana Coins with those of Greeks and Parthians The first gold coins were issued in 1st century CE by the Kushanas. These were virtually identical in weight with those issued by contemporary Roman emperors and the Parthian rulers of Iran have been found from several sites in North India and Central Asia.

Close Connections with Roman Empire The widespread use of gold coins indicates the enormous value of the transactions that were taking place. Besides, hoards of Roman coins have been found from archaeological sites in South India. It is obvious that networks of trade were not confined to political boundaries. South India was not a part of the Roman empire, but there were close connections through trade.

1.Political map of India changed during this period. 16 big states or Mahajanapadas emerged in this period, e.g. Magadha, Avanti, Kashi, Gandhara, Anga, Kosala,etc. Many contemporary cultural stories originated from these states. It is assumed that after epic war of mahabharata, many of these states lost their former glory and existence.

2. Technology in agriculture advanced in this phase. Iron-made axes had emerged and helped burning of forests easy for farmers. They could expand their farming fields and provide enough granary to increasing population. This provided society with more peace and luxury than before.

3. It also increased tax collection of the state and it could bear the high cost of its administration. State could pay for soldiers during peace time as well, and could easily maintain standing armies. This strengthened defence of the state and increased security of its population.

4. People started questioning old and rigid ways of brahminism during this time. Voices rose against caste system and ritual rich hinduism. Many philosophers like Charvaka, Gautam Budhha, Mahavir Swamy grew in prominence and popularity.

5. Slowly, their inclusive and relatively more rational ideas became popular and took form of established religion. Thus, 6th century BCE led to foundation of Buddhism and Jainism- two great contemporary belief systems.

The men and women probably went to the Sanghas due to the following reasons:

1. They wanted to attain enlightenment, by staying away from worldly activities.
2. They could deeply study the Buddhist philosophy by staying in the Sanghas.
3. Many people entered the Sanghas to become teachers of dhamma.
4. They also joined so as to free themselves from social constraints because after joining the Sanghas they were not known by their social name but from the name they get when entering the sanghas.

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Two features of the Harappan settlement were:
(i) The first settlement was smaller but located at the higher ground. It was called Citadel. Its buildings were constructed on mud brick platforms. It was walled and separated from the other settlement of the town.
(ii) The second settlement was called Lower Town. It was also walled like the first settlement. And it too was built on the mud brick platform however it was also a residential town.