The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.9

c5.s4.9

The name is read *Tákin*, طاقين, by Sir Henry Elliot, and *Táfan*, طافن, by Gildemeister,† in his extracts from Masudi. The first reading is supported by the strong authority of Abu Rihân and Rashid-uddin, who agree in stating that the great snowy mountain of *Kelárjik* (or *Lârjk*), which resembled Demavend by its cupola form, could be seen from the boundaries of *Tákishar* and *Lohâwar*.* Elliot, in one passage, corrects *Tákishar* to *Kashmir*; but this alteration is quite inadmissible, as the mountain is specially noted to have been only 2 farsangs, or about 8 miles, distant from Kashmir. One might as well say that St. Paul’s Cathedral is visible from Ludgate Hill and Windsor. The mountain here referred to is the great *Dayamur*, or *Nanga Parbat*, to the west of Kashmir, which is 26,629 feet in height; and which I have myself seen repeatedly from Râmnagar, on the Chenâb, a distance of 200 miles. In a second passage of the same author, Sir Henry calls the mountain *Kalárchal*,† and the two places from which it can be seen he names *Tákas* and *Lohâwar*. This *Tákas*, or *Tákishar*, I take to be the same place as the *Tsekia*, or *Táki* of Hwen Thsang, and the *Tákin* of Masudi.