History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.5

v3.c33.5

Al-Beruni begins by remarking that if you have to go to Sind you march from Sijistan, but in going to Hind you go via Kabul. In the mountains on the frontier of India "there are tribes of Hindus, or people akin to them, which are rebellious and savage races." It seems clear that they had not yet been converted to Mahomedanism. Coming to Hind and its capital Kanauj he says that it was situated on the west of the Ganges. "But the town is now deserted (owing to Mahmud's invasion) and Bari is the present capital east of the Ganges, distant about 4 days' journey (50 miles)". This town has not yet been identified. Starting from Kanauj and going south, you come to Jajjamau and other places and lastly to the Prayāga tree at the confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna. This (Pīpala) tree of Prayāga from which devout Hindus wishing to end their lives threw themselves into the river was still famous, still doing its duty (at present we have a stem of the tree shown in the fort of Allabadad). From Prayāga, Al-Beruni takes us southwards to the sea-coast and at once mentions the Jaur (Chola) king who was then in possession of Daraur (Dravida), Kanji (Kānchi), Malaya and Kunk which is the last of Jaur's possessions in this direction. The power of the Cholas was undoubtedly supreme at this time in the territory comprised at present in the Madras presidency and represented then by three or four countries.