The Geography of the Puranas c9.38

c9.38

On the southern border of the Tarim basin lies the great mountain rampart of Kunlun and the subjacent range, the Altin Tagh. The few streams which break through the outer ranges into the basin to the north run through deep-cut inaccessible gorges. The outer slopes of these mountains are extraordinarily barren and forbidding. Throughout their whole length from east to west, the foot of their northern slopes is formed by a glacis of piedmont gravel attaining in parts a width of 40 miles and more and everywhere they are utterly barren. However, a few streams which have cut across this belt of gravel support some vegetation near its outer margin. It is, therefore, clear that this region is described very precisely by the Purāṇas—as regards its position (north of Niṣadha and Devakūṭa), extent and nature.