The Geography of the Puranas c10.16

c10.16

Two base maps, one of negative areas (i.e., showing areas of dense forests, steep mountains and deserts, etc., as they were about a thousand years back) (Fig. 12) and the other of ancient routes were therefore first prepared and superimposed on a relief map in which account was taken of possible changes which the rivers might have suffered during the last 1000-1500 years. The Purāṇic topographic features were then plotted with help of these maps. In doing so, all these features which are obviously correct according to Purāṇic accounts and have been unanimously identified by scholars, have been adopted as such and plotted. Other features which required consideration have been thoroughly examined and marked in the light of the above principles. The result is the Purāṇic maps of rivers and mountains, population centres and regions. These maps which depict the major geographical features (physical, human and regional) represent the most probable picture of the land which our ancient writers had in their mind.