The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s1.t7: 6. Gândhâra, or Parashâwar.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s1.t7
- Language
- English
6. Gândhâra, or Parashâwar.
c5.s1.t7.1
The district of Gândhâra is not mentioned by Alexander’s professed historians; but it is correctly described by Strabo, under the name of *Gandaritis*, as lying along the river Kophes, between the Choaspes and the Indus. In the same position Ptolemy places the *Gandaræ*, whose country included both banks of the Kophes immediately above its junction with the Indus. This is the *Kien-to-lo*, or Gândhâra of all the Chinese pilgrims, who are unanimous in placing it to the west of the Indus. The capital, which they call *Pu-lu-sha-pulo* or *Parashapura* is stated to be three or four days’ journey from the Indus, and near the south bank of a large river. This is an exact description of the position of Peshâwar, which down to the time of Akbar still bore its old name of *Parasháwar*, under which form it is mentioned by Abul Fazl and Baber, and still earlier by Abu Rihân and the Arab geographers of the tenth century. According to Fa Hian, who calls it simply *Fo-lu-shá* or *Parashá*, the capital was 16 *yojans*, or about 112 miles, distant from Nagarahâra. Hwen Thsang, however, makes the distance only 500 *li*, or 83 miles, which is certainly a mistake, as the measurement by perambulator between Jalâlâbâd and Peshâwar is 103 miles, to which must be added 2 miles more for the position of Begrâm to the west of Jalâlâbâd.
c5.s1.t7.2
The actual boundaries of the district are not described, but its size is given as 1000 *li*, or 166 miles, from east to west, and 800 *li*, or 133 miles, from north to south. This is, perhaps, nearly correct, as the extreme length, whether taken from the source of the Bara river to Torbela, or from the Kunar river to Torbela, is 120 miles, measured on the map direct, or about 150 miles by road. The extreme breadth, measured in the same way, from Bâzâr, on the border of the Bunir hills, to the southern boundary of Kohât, is 100 miles direct, or about 125 miles by road. The boundaries of Gândhâra, as deduced from these measurements, may be described as Lamghân and Jalâlâbâd on the west, the hills of Swât and Bunir on the north, the Indus on the east, and the hills of Kâlabâgh on the south. Within these limits stood several of the most renowned places of ancient India; some celebrated in the stirring history of Alexander's exploits, and others famous in the miraculous legends of Buddha, and in the subsequent history of Buddhism under the Indo-Scythian prince Kanishka.
c5.s1.t7.3
The only towns of the Gandaræ named by Ptolemy are Naulibe, Embolima, and the capital called Proklaïs. All of these were to the north of the Kophes; and so also were Ora, Bazaria, and Aornos, which are mentioned by Alexander's historians. Parashâwar alone was to the south of the Kophes. Of Naulibe and Ora I am not able to offer any account, as they have not yet been identified. It is probable, however, that Naulibe is *Niláb*, an important town, which gave its name to the Indus river; but if so, it is wrongly placed by Ptolemy, as *Niláb* is to the south of the Kophes. The positions of the other towns I will now proceed to investigate, including with them some minor places visited by the Chinese pilgrims.