The Geography of the Puranas c10.13

c10.13

(b) On the other hand the regions of difficulty or negative areas discouraged population and settlement. Deserts, snow-clad or glaciated regions, areas of steep slopes and rugged topography, dense forests and swamps retard the processes of human occupation, therefore the accounts of such areas or topographical features situated in these environments are likely (not necessarily) to be inaccurate. Reported distances and directions in such regions have to be carefully considered and revised or discarded if necessary.