The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c6.53

v1.c6.53

³⁷ The directions given by Hiouen Thsang are not very precise; but there is no reason to doubt the identification of Tan-mo-li-ti with modern Tamluk. The *Mahābhārata* and the *Purāṇas* describe the Tāmraliptakas as an aboriginal tribe, living to the south of the Pauṇḍras, and they on their turn lived to the south of Cāmpā or Bhāgalpur, and Bhīma encountered them in this order. This arrangement would make the Pauṇḍras occupy Bīrabhūm and parts of Burdwan where there are still some remains of the Pauṇḍras in the bastard Hindu Pāns. The Tāmraliptakas accordingly should occupy the whole of the Howra district and undeterminate portions of Hugli, Midnapur and Burdwan districts. The dominion of the latter in the time of the Chinese traveller comprised an area "*a environ de quatorze a quinze cents li de tour*". "*Ceroyaume est situé sur une bale et 'on y va par eau et par terre. On y trouve en quantité des marchandises rares et précieuses. C'est pourquoi les habitants de ce royaume sont en général riches et opulents*". In referring to such a tract, the bearings and distances must vary considerably according as the boundary of the province or its capital is intended. The capital, which, in the time of Hiouen Thsang, had a circumference of 10 *lis*, was situated on the sea shore—"*sur les bords de la mer*", and bearing in mind how land has accreted near the mouth of the Hugli, it would not be presumptuous to suppose that Tamluk formerly was on the sea-board. Indeed it may be with some plausibility questioned if the site of Tamluk was dry land eleven hundred years ago.