Maurya and Shunga Art c13.5.1

c13.5.1

The facts for such an assumption are abundantly clear in the inscriptions of Barhut. The modern village of Barhut lies about one hundred miles to the south-east of Allahabad, and happens to be situated just at the northern end of the long narrow valley of Mahiyar near the point where the high road from Ujain and Bhilsa (ancient Vidiśā) to Patna (ancient Pāṭaliputra) turns to the north with Kosam (ancient Kauśāmbī) as a notable halting place and thus it coincides very nearly with the position of the jungle tract Vana in relation to the ancient Southern road referred to in early Buddhist texts. Buddhaghosha, or better, the author of the Sutta-Nipāta Commentary, knew this jungle-tract "which was called by some Tumbanagara and by others, Vana-Sāvatthī or Jungle-Śrāvastī….” This Tumbanagara may or may not be identical with the Tumbavana or Tubavana referred to in a few votive labels on the railing of the Sanchi Stūpa no. 1 ; but the fact that Barhut was situated at a point on the ancient high way of trade and commerce is significant and may not be lost sight of.