History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c13.31

v1.c13.31

(Mahā-vijaya), was built in the same year at a cost of 38 lakhs of coins. In the 10th year Khāravela undertook his second campaign in Northern India and at the same time broke the power of the Musalas or the Telugu country, but the details have been lost in the damaged portion of l. 10. In the 11th year Khāravela turned his attention to his neighbours on the South. In this year he destroyed the city of Pithuṇḍa and had its site ploughed with ploughs drawn by asses and at the same time he broke a league of the kings of the Tamil country which had existed for about 113 years. The city of Pithuṇḍa was the capital of the Musalas and it is mentioned by Ptolemy in his geography. Ptolemy calls the coast between the Kṛṣṇā and the Godāvari "Maisolia" which is termed "Masalia" in the Periplus of the Erythræan Sea. The metropolis was called Pityndra which was situated in the interior.¹ In another place Pityndra is called the metropolis of the Arvarnoi, who are probably the same as the Avarājas² of the Hathigumpha inscription. The Tamil league is very interesting and the inscription uses the form Tamira for Dramiḷa or Draviḍa, which is certainly admissible in this form of Prakrit.