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The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s3.t3: Kullu.

The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s3.t3

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Kullu.

c5.s3.t3.1

The kingdom of *Kiu-lu-to* is placed by Hwen Thsang at 700 *li*, or 117 miles, to the north-east of Jâlandhar,* which corresponds exactly with the position of the district of *Kullu*, in the upper valley of the Byâs river. The Vishnu Purâna† mentions a people called *Ulûta*, or *Kulûta*, who are most probably the same as the *Kaulutas* of the ‘Râmâyana’ and the ‘Brihat Sanhitâ.’‡ As this form of the word agrees precisely with the Chinese *Kiuluto*, I conclude that the modern *Kullu* must be only an abbreviation of the ancient name. The district is stated to be 3000 *li*, or 500 miles, in circuit, and entirely surrounded by mountains. The size is very much exaggerated for the present restricted limits of *Kullu*; but as the ancient kingdom is said by the people themselves to have included Mandi and Sukhet on the west, and a large tract of territory to the south of the Satlej, it is probable that the frontier measurement of 500 miles may be very near the truth if taken in road distance.

c5.s3.t3.2

† Wilson's ‘Vishnu Purâna,’ edited by Hall, ii. 3, vol. ii. p. 174.

c5.s3.t3.3

‡ Kern's ‘Brihat Sanhita,’ xiv. 29.

c5.s3.t3.4

The present capital of the valley is Sultânpur; but the old capital of Makarsa is still called Nagar, or the city, by which name it is most generally known. Hwen Thsang states that gold, silver, and copper are all found in the district, which is only partially true, as the amount of gold to be obtained by washing is very small, and the silver and copper mines have long been abandoned.

c5.s3.t3.5

To the north-east of Kullu Hwen Thsang places the district of *Lo-hu-lo*, which is clearly the *Lho-yal* of the Tibetans, and the *Láhul* of the people of Kullu and other neighbouring states. Still further to the north he places the district of *Mo-lo-so*, which, from his position, must certainly be Ladâk. I would, therefore, alter the Chinese name to *Mo-lo-po*, which is an exact transcript of *Mar-po*, the actual name of the province of Ladâk, as *Mar-po-yul*, or the “Red district,” in allusion to the general appearance of its soil and mountains. The Chinese syllables *so* and *po* are so much alike that they are frequently interchanged, as in the well-known name of Salatura, the birth-place of Pânini, which is given in the original Chinese of Hwen Thsang’s travels as *Po-lo-tu-lo*, or *Palatura*.

c5.s3.t3.6

∗ Julien's ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ ii. 203.

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