Washim (Vatsagulma) is a city and a Municipal Council in Washim district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Washim is the district headquarters of Washim district. Etymology Washim was known earlier as Vatsagulma and it was the seat of power of the Vakataka dynasty. Sarvasena the Second son of Pravarsena I was the founder of Vatsagulma or Washim of today. His fourth-generation, Harishena was one of the main patrons of the Ajanta Caves World Heritage Site. The house of Vakataka & their last generations supported Buddhism and supported all Buddhist arts. History Washim is the same place where great Vatsa rishi performed penance and were many Gods came to bless him as a result of which it came to be known as Vatsagulma in Sanskrit. Its mention as Vatsagulma is traced in Padma. In the Treta Yuga, the second age, this land was a part of the Dandakaranya or Dandaka jungle, and the rishi Vatsa had his ashram hermitage at this place. Around 3 C.E., Washim's name was Vatsagulm. In 1939, historical artifact was found, it revealed some unknown historic fact about this city, the artifact was a plate, named as Washim plate. According to the inscription, Sarvasenana, the founded Vatsagulm family brach-dynasty of Vakatak dynasty. He made Vatsagulma capital of his kingdom. After Vakatak king Pravarsen I, his kingdom was got divided into 3 parts, one of it was Vatsagulm. In the course of time, the place became a great centre of learning and culture. It was, however, known as a holy place long before it became the capital of Sarvasena who flourished in the period circa C.E. 330–355. He was followed by Vindhyashakti II. A reference to Washim is found in Kavyamimansa by Rajashekhara, the celebrated poet and dramatist of the Yayavara brahmana family of Maharashtra who flourished from 875 to 925 CE. He has mentioned therein Vatsagulma as situated in Vidarbha region. But even earlier references to Vatsagulma or Vatsa-gulma are found in Mahabharata and Kamasutra, which in their present form are assignable to a period before the age of the Vakatakas. The Karpuramunjari, a play written by Rajashekhara and staged at Kanauj under the patronage of the Gurjara-Pratiharas also mentions it as situated in the Dakshinapatha (Deccan). Vachchhoma (Vatsagulma) was the name of the Prakrit style current in Vidarbha. Vashima is derived from Vachchhoma the Prakrit name of Vatsagulma. The Sanskrit treatise Vatsagulmyamahatmya also gives traditional