Virata was a kingdom ruled by the Matsya king by the name Virata. It was here that the Pandavas spent their 13th year of anonymity (Agyata Vasa) after their 12 years of forest-life (Vana Vasa) in the forests of Kamyaka and Dwaita. It was also known as Virata Nagari, modern Bairat in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan.

The inscription of Asoka found from this region addresse the Buddhist monks. There must have been a considerable presence of the Buddhist monks in Bairat.

The first ruler of the empire was Chandra Gupta I, who united the Guptas with the Licchavis by marriage. His son, the celebrated Samudra Gupta, expanded the empire through conquest.

Ganeshwar is located near the copper mines of the Sikar-Jhunjhunu area of the Khetri copper belt in Rajasthan. The Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture has over 80 other sites currently identified. The period was estimated to be 2500–2000 BC. Historian Ratna Chandra Agrawala wrote that Ganeshwar was excavated in 1977.