The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.17

c6.s3.17

In the seventh century Hwen Thsang describes the kingdom of Balabhi as 6000 *li*, or 1000 miles, in circuit, which is very near the truth, if we include the districts of Bhâroch and Surat, on the neighbouring coast, as well as the whole of the peninsula of Surashtra. But in this part of the pilgrim's travels the narrative is frequently imperfect and erroneous, and we must therefore trust to our own sagacity, both to supply his omissions and to correct his mistakes. Thus, in his description of *Bhâroch*, Hwen Thsang omits to tell us whether it was a separate and independent chiefship, or only a tributary of one of its powerful neighbours, Balabhi, Malwa, or Maharashtra. But as it has generally been attached to the peninsula, I infer that it most probably belonged to the great kingdom of Balabhi in the seventh century. In the second century, according to Ptolemy, *Barygaza* formed part of the kingdom of *Larike*, which, in Hwen Thsang's time, was only another name for Balabhi. In the tenth century, according to Ibn Haukal,[*] it belonged to the kingdom of the Balharâ, whose capital was Analwarâ; but as this city was not founded for more than a hundred years after Hwen Thsang's visit, I conclude that in the seventh century Bhâroch must have formed part of the famous kingdom of Balabhi. With this addition to its territories, the frontier circuit of Balabhi would have been as nearly as possible 1000 miles.