[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Historical geography](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography) › [The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871) › c5.s3.t6.7 # The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s3.t6.7 The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s3.t6.7 - **Language:** English ### [c5.s3.t6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6.7) The position of the celebrated fortress of Bhatner would suit the description of a small district bounded on the west by the Satlej, and would also agree with the corrected distance from Kullu: but the direction is south-west instead of south, and the distance from Bairât is upwards of 200 miles, instead of 800 \*li\*, or 133 miles, as stated by the pilgrim. The bearing of Bairât is, however, in favour of Bhatner, as the pilgrim’s south-west is certainly a mistake for south-east, otherwise the distance of Bairât from Mathura would be nearly 1500 \*li\*, or 250 miles, instead of 500 \*li\*, or 83 miles, as recorded. If we might read 1500 \*li\* instead of 500 \*li\*, the relative positions of Bhatner and Bairât would correspond very well with the pilgrim’s account, as the road distance between the two places, \*viâ\* Hânsi, is about 250 miles. It is quite possible also that there may be a mistake in the initial Chinese character, \*She\* or \*Ṣa\*, which is very much like \*Po\* or \*Bha\*; and if so, the Chinese syllables \*Po-to-tu-lo\* would represent \*Bhaṭasthala\*, or Bhatner. The latter name means the “fortress of the Bhaṭis,” but the town itself was called \*Band\*, or \*Bando\*, which was probably the contracted form of \*Bhaṭasthala\*, just as \*Máru\* is now the common contracted form of \*Marusthala\*. But in spite of these plausible agreements both in name and in position, I am inclined to think that Sarhind must be the place indicated by the pilgrim as the capital of the ancient district of \*Śatadru\*. This conclusion is strengthened by the pilgrim’s statement that the country produced gold, which, so far as I know, can only apply to the lower hills lying to the north of Sarhind, where gold is still found in some of the smaller affluents of the Satlej. - [Previous: c5.s3.t6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6.6) - [Next: c5.s3.t6.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6.8) - [Up: c5.s3.t6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.cunningham-1871.c5.s3.t6.7) · Pramāṇa