The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t1.2

c6.s1.t1.2

In the seventh century the capital of the province was named *Pi-chen-po-pu-lo*, which M. Julien transcribes as *Vichava-pura*. M. Vivien de St. Martin, however, suggests that it may be the Sanskrit *Vichála-pura*, or city of "Middle Sindh," which is called *Vicholo* by the people. But the Sindhi and Panjâbi *Vich* and the Hindi *Bích*, or "middle," are not derived from the Sanskrit, which has a radical word of its own, *Madhya*, to express the same thing. If Hwen Thsang had used the vernacular terms, his name might have been rendered exactly by the Hindi *Bichwá-pur*, or “ Middle City ;” but as he invariably uses the Sanskrit forms, I think that we must rather look to some pure Sanskrit word for the original of his *Pi-chen-po-pu-lo*. Now we know from tradition, as well as from the native historians, that Alor was the capital of Sindh both before and after the period of Hwen Thsang’s visit; this new name, therefore, must be only some variant appellation of the old city, and not that of a second capital. During the Hindu period it was the custom to give several names to all the larger cities,—as we have already seen in the case of Multân. Some of these were only poetical epithets; as *Kusumapura*, or “ Flower City ” applied to Pâtaliputra, and Padmavati, or, “ Lotus Town ” applied to Narwar; others were descriptive epithets as *Varanâsi*, or Banáras, applied to the city of Kâsi, to show that it was situated between the *Varana* and *Asi* rivulets; and *Kányakubja*, the “hump-backed maiden,” applied to Kanoj, as the scene of a well-known legend. The difference of name does not, therefore, imply a new capital, as it may be only a new appellation of the old city, or perhaps even the restoration of an old name which had been temporarily supplanted. It is true that no second name of Alor is mentioned by the historians of Sindh; but as Alor was actually the capital in the time of Hwen Thsang, it would seem to be quite certain that his name of *Pi-chen-po-pu-lo* is only another name for that city.