The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t7: Taki, or Asarur.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t7
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Taki, or Asarur.
c5.s4.t7.1
I have already mentioned Asarur as the probable position of Hwen Thsang’s *Tse-kia*, which was the capital of the Panjâb in A.D. 633. It is situated about 2 miles to the south of the high-road between Lahor and Pindi Bhatiyân, being 45 miles from the former, and 24 from the latter place.* It is 19 miles distant from Sangala by the road, but not more than 16 miles in a direct line across the country. Nothing whatever is known of its ancient history, but the people say that it was originally called Udamnagar, or *Uda-Nagari*, and that it was deserted for many centuries, until Akbar’s time, when Ugar Shah, a Dogar, built the Masjid, which still exists, on the top of the mound. The antiquity claimed for the place is confirmed by the large size of the bricks, 18 by 10 by 3 inches, which are found all over the ruins, and by the great number of Indo-Scythian coins that are discovered annually after heavy rain. It therefore reaches back to the first century before the Christian era, and from its position I believe it to be the *Pimprama* of Alexander.
c5.s4.t7.2
The ruins of Asarur consist of an extensive mound 15,600 feet, or nearly 3 miles in circuit. The highest point is in the north-west quarter, where the mound rises to 59 feet above the fields. This part, which I take to be the ancient palace, is 600 feet long and 400 feet broad, and quite regular in shape. It contains an old well 21 feet in diameter, which has not been used for many years, and is now dry. The palace is completely surrounded by a line of large mounds about 25 feet in height, and 8100 feet, or 1½ mile in circuit, which was evidently the stronghold or citadel of the place. The mounds are rounded and prominent, like the ruins of large towers or bastions. On the east and south sides of the citadel the mass of ruins sinks to 10 and 15 feet in height, but it is twice the size of the citadel, and is, no doubt, the remains of the old city. I could find no trace of any ancient buildings, as all the surface bricks have been long ago carried off to the neighbouring shrine of Ugar Shah at Khángáh Masrur; but amongst the old bricks forming the surrounding wall of the Masjid I found three moulded in different patterns, which could only have belonged to buildings of some importance. I found also a wedge-shaped brick 15 inches long and 3 inches thick, with a breadth of 10 inches at the narrow end, and nearly 10½ inches at the broad end. This could only have been made for a stupa, or a well, but most probably for the latter, as the existing well is 21 feet in diameter. Asarur is now a small village of only 45 houses.
c5.s4.t7.3
∗ See Map No. VI.
c5.s4.t7.4
Hwen Thsang places Tse-kia at 14 or 15 *li*, or 2½ miles, to the north-east of *Sákala*; but as there are no traces of any former town in this position, I think it very probable that the true numbers should be 114 or 115 *li*, or 19 miles, which is just the distance between Sangala and Asarur by the road, although in a direct line it is not more than 16 miles. The circuit of *Tse-kia* was about 20 *li*, or upwards of three miles, which agrees sufficiently well with my measurement of the ruins of Asarur at 15,600 feet, or just three miles. At the time of Hwen Thsang’s visit there were ten monasteries, but very few Buddhists, and the mass of the people worshipped the Brahmanical gods. To the north-east of the town at 10 *li*, or nearly 2 miles, there was a stupa of Asoka, 200 feet in height, which marked the spot where Buddha had halted, and which was said to contain a large quantity of his relics. This stupa may, I think, be identified with the little mound of *Sâlár*, near Thata Syadon, just two miles to the north of Asarur.