The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s2.t5: 4. Singhapura, or Ketás.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s2.t5
- Language
- English
4. Singhapura, or Ketás.
c5.s2.t5.1
According to Hwen Thsang, the capital of the kingdom of Seng-ho-pu-lo, or Singhapura, was situated at 700 *li*, or 117 miles, to the south-east of Taxila. The bearing points to Jhelam, near which is the town of Sangohi, which has been noted by M. Vivien de St. Martin as the possible representative of Singhapura. But Sangohi stands on an open plain, instead of on a high mountain of difficult access, as described by the pilgrim. The vicinity of ten pools of limpid water, with surrounding temples and sculptures, points to the holy tanks of Ketáksh, or Khetás, which are still visited by crowds of pilgrims from all parts of India. I think also that the name of Ketás is only a slightly altered form of the Sanskrit Swetavása, or the "White Robes,” which Hwen Thsang mentions as the title of the chief religious sect then resident near Singhapura. In the western countries, where the compound *sw* is changed to *kh*, the name would have been pronounced *Khetavása*, or by a slight contraction, *Ketás*.[*] The Brahmans of course refer the name to their own religion, and say that the place was called *Katáksha*, or the “Raining Eyes,” because the tears literally rained from Siva’s eyes when he heard of the death of his wife Sati. But as their own spelling of the name *Ketáksh*, which I received from themselves, is at variance with the meaning which they give to it, I am inclined to adopt the etymology that I have already suggested as *Sweta-vása*, or the “White Robes.” This sect would appear to have belonged to the *Swetámbara*, or “White-robed” division of the Jains, while another sect at the same place, who are described by Hwen Thsang as going naked, must be the *Digámbara*, or “unclothed” (literally “sky-clad”) division of the Jains. Their books also are stated to have been chiefly copied from the Buddhist literature, while the statue of their god resembled that of Buddha himself. From these curious details it seems almost certain that this heretical sect must have been Jains, whose religion has much in common with Buddhism, while their statues are frequently mistaken for those of Buddha.
c5.s2.t5.2
*Ketás* is situated on the north side of the Salt Range, at 16 miles from Pind Dâdan Khan, and 18 miles from Chakowâl, but not more than 85 miles from Shahdheri, or Taxila. Now the distance of Singhapura from Taxila is given at 700 *li*, or 117 miles, which is certainly too great, as it would place the capital about 30 miles beyond the most distant point of the hills in any direction between the south and east. *Singhapura* is described as situated on the top of a high hill of difficult access; and as the climate is said to be very cold, it is certain that the place must have occupied one of the isolated peaks either of the Salt Range on the south-south-east, or of the Bâlnâth Range on the east-south-east.[*] But as there are no clear pools swarming with fish in the Bâlnâth Range, I have little hesitation in identifying the place described by Hwen Thsang with the beautiful limpid pool of *Ketâs*, which has been esteemed holy from time immemorial.
c5.s2.t5.3
∗ Thus the Sanskrit *Saraswati* became the Zend *Harakhaiti*, and the Greek *Arakhôtos*.
c5.s2.t5.4
The capital of *Singhapura* was situated at from 40 to 50 *li*, or 7 to 8 miles, to the north-west of the sacred tanks; but I know of no place that corresponds with this bearing and distance. *Malot* was the capital of the *Janjuhas* at a very early period; but its bearing is south-east, and its distance 12 miles. If we might read 4 to 5 *li*, instead of 40 to 50, the capital might at once be identified with the ruined fort of *Kotera*, which is situated on a steep hill to the west, about 200 feet in height, that overhangs the town and holy pools of *Ketâs*. This is called the ancient town. It consists of an upper fort, 1200 feet long, by 300 broad, and of a lower fort, 800 feet long, by 450 broad, the circuit of the two being about 3500 feet, or less than three-quarters of a mile. But the whole circuit of *Ketâs*, including the modern town on both banks of the stream, both above and below the fort, is about 2 miles. This is rather smaller than the capital described by Hwen Thsang, which was 14 or 15 *li*, or 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 miles, in circuit. But as it corresponds in all other material particulars, I think that *Ketás* has a very good claim to be identified with the capital of Singhapura.
c5.s2.t5.5
∗ See Maps Nos. V. and VI.
c5.s2.t5.6
According to Hwen Thsang,* the district was 3600 *li*, or 600 miles, in circuit. On the west it was bounded by the Indus, on the north by the southern frontier of Taxila, 120 miles in length, and on the south by the Jhelam and the northern frontier of *Tâki*, or the plains of the Panjâb. It cannot therefore have extended much beyond the foot of the Salt Range. This limit would make the Indus frontier about 60 miles in length, the Jhelam frontier about 50 miles, and the northern and southern frontiers each 120 miles, or altogether 350 miles. The only explanation that occurs to me of the difference between this number and that of Hwen Thsang, is the probability that the ancient *kos* of the Panjâb was the same as the modern one, that is, a short *kos* of 1 9/32 mile, or 1 mile and 2 1/4 furlongs, and that the Chinese pilgrim, ignorant of the difference, made his calculations in the common Indian *kos* of about two miles. This would reduce his numbers by very nearly one-third, and at the same time bring them into close accordance with the actual measurements of our maps. Thus, Hwen Thsang's 3600 *li*, or 600 miles, for the circuit of Singhapura, would become 400 miles, which is within 50 miles of the actual measurement already given. Great accuracy cannot be expected in these estimates of frontier distances, as the pilgrim had no means of checking the numbers of his informants. With the road distances which he had himself travelled it was different, as he could test them by his own knowledge of the time occupied, as well as by the number of journeys between any two points. In the present instance of Singhapura it is quite certain that the frontier distance is exaggerated, as the boundary of *Tsekia*, or *Tâki*, is also said to have extended to the Indus, which could not have been the case if the frontier of Singhapura had stretched further to the south than I have placed it.
c5.s2.t5.7
∗ Julien's ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ ii. 162.