The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s8.t2.17

v1.c19.s8.t2.17

More celebrated and frequented, however, was the line of trade which led westwards from various points in Bengal and joined the network of highways which converged at Benares. The Kathā-sarit-sāgara mentions merchants travelling from Puṇḍravardhana to Pāṭaliputra. I-tsing, who landed at Tāmralipti in 673 A.D., says that when he left the sea-port, “taking the road which goes straight to the west,” many hundreds of merchants accompanied him in his journey to Bodh-Gayā.² A rock inscription of a chief named Udayamāna, which has been assigned on paleographical grounds to the 8th century A.D., reveals that merchants from such distant places as Ayodhyā used to frequent the port of Tāmralipti for purposes of trade.³ These western routes formed the principal means of communication and also the grand military routes between Bengal and Northern India.