Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c13.322

v2.c13.322

There remain now Takkasilā (3) and Vaṅga (10) which are both well-known places, one in the north-west, and the other, in the eastern part of India. But the usual identification of Takkasilā with Taxila would be somewhat incongruous, as the place is named in a list of trans-Gangetic countries to the east. While, therefore, nothing definitely can be said in this matter, Lévi has drawn our attention to the river Tokosanna, mentioned by Ptolemy, near Arakan coast, and the Takkasilā of the text may be located here. The identification of Vaṅga with Bengal seems equally objectionable, particularly when we remember that it is both preceded and followed by other places in Malay Peninsula and the Indian Archipelago. Lévi has pointed out that the Manuscripts also give an alternative reading vaṅkam, and this can be easily identified with the island of Banka to the east of Sumatra.