The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t9.10

c6.s1.t9.10

*Manhábari* is described by all the authorities as situated on the western bank of the Indus, at 2 days' journey from Debal. Now, this is the very position of Thatha, which is on the western bank of the Indus, at 40 miles, or 2 days' journey, from Lâri-bandar, which, as I will presently show, was almost certainly within a few miles of the famous city of Debal. The name of *Manhábari* is variously written as *Mehábari*, and *Manjábari*, for which I would suggest that we might perhaps read *Mandábari*, or *Mandáwari*, the "city of the *Mand*" tribe, just as *Sáminagar* was the "city of the *Sammâ*" tribe. This derivation of the name is supported by the fact that the *Mand* tribe have occupied Lower Sindh in great numbers from the beginning of the Christian era. Edrisi* describes the *Mand* as a numerous and brave tribe, who occupied the desert on the borders of Sindh and India, and extended their wanderings as far as *Alor* on the north, *Mekran* on the west, and *Mamehel* (or Umarkot) on the east. Ibn Haukal† records that "the *Mands* dwell on the banks of the Mihrân, from the boundary of Multân to the sea, and in the desert between Mekrân and Famhal (or Umarkot). They have many cattle-sheds and pasturages, and form a large population." Rashid-ud-din‡ locates them in Sindh at a still earlier period. According to his account, *Med* and *Zat*, two descendants of Ham, the son of Noah, were the progenitors of the people of Sindh prior to the Mahâbhârata. The name is variously written as *Mer*, *Med*, *Mand*, in all of which forms it is found even at the present day. To these I would add *Mind*, which is the form of the name given by Masudi.[*] I have already identified this people with the *Medi* and *Mandrueni* of the classical writers; and as their name is found in northern India from the beginning of the Christian era downwards, and not before that time, I conclude that the *Mandrueni* and *Iatii* of the Oxus, who are coupled together by Pliny, must be the Sacæ Indo-Scythians, who occupied the Panjâb and Sindh, and who under the name of Mands and Zats of the early Muhammadan authors, were in full possession of the valley of the Indus towards the end of the seventh century.