The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t1: 1. Surâshtra.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t1
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1. Surâshtra.
c6.s3.t1.1
According to Hwen Thsang, the province of *Su-la-cha*, or *Surâtha*, was a dependant of Balabhi. Its capital was situated at 500 *li*, or 83 miles, to the west of Balabhi, at the foot of Mount *Yeu-chen-la*, or *Ujjanta*. This is the Pali form of the Sanskrit *Ujjayanta*, which is only another name for the *Girinar* hill that rises above the old city of *Junagarh*. The name of *Ujjayanta* is mentioned in both of the *Girinar* inscriptions of Rudra Dâma and Skanda Gupta, although this important fact escaped the notice of the translators.[*] The mention of this famous hill fixes the position of the capital of Surashtra at Junagarh, or *Yavana-gadh*, which is 87 miles to the west of Balabhi, or very nearly the same as stated by Hwen Thsang. The pilgrim notices that the mountain was covered with thick forests, and that its scarped sides contained numerous chambers and galleries. This description agrees with the account of Postans,[†] who, in 1838, found the hill covered with "a thick jungul of the custard-apple tree," and a number of excavations at the base, consisting of "small flat roofed rooms, supported by square pillars without ornament."
c6.s3.t1.2
∗ Elliot, 'Muhammadan Historians of India,' i. 63.
c6.s3.t1.3
The name of *Surath* is still known in this part of the peninsula; but it is confined to a comparatively small tract, which forms one of the ten divisions of Gujarât.[‡] In the time of Akbar, however, it was applied to the southern or larger half of the peninsula, which, according to Abul Fazl, extended from the port of Ghoga to the port of Aramroy, and from Sirdhar to the port of Diu.[§] The name of the district
c6.s3.t1.4
[*] Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bombay, vii. 119, "the Urjayata hill;" p. 123, "Urjayat;" and p. 124, "the Jayanta mountain," should all be rendered *Ujjâyanta*. [†] Journ. Royal Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 1838, pp. 874, 876. [‡] Eastwick, 'Handbook of Bombay,' p. 424. [§] 'Ayin Akbari,' ii. 66.
c6.s3.t1.5
is also preserved by Terry,* whose information was obtained at the Court of Jahângir. According to his account, the chief city of Soret was called *Janagar*, that is, *Javanagar*, or *Jonagarh*. The province was small, but very rich, and had the ocean to the *south*. At that time also it would appear not to have been included in Gujarât, as Terry describes it as *lying upon Gujarat*.
c6.s3.t1.6
In the seventh century Hwen Thsang states that *Surath*, or *Surashtra*, was 4000 *li*, or 667 miles, in circuit, and touched the river *Mo-hi* on the west. This river has always been identified with the *Mahi* of Malwa, which falls into the Gulf of Khambay.† Accepting this identification as correct, the province of *Surath* in the time of Hwen Thsang must have comprised the whole of the peninsula, including the city of Balabhi itself. This is confirmed by the measurement of the frontier given by the pilgrim, which agrees exactly with that of the entire peninsula to the south-west of a line drawn from the Lesser Ran of Kachh to Khambay. In spite of the fame of Balabhi, the old name of *Surath* was still applied to the whole peninsula so late as A.D. 640.
c6.s3.t1.7
† As the *Mahi* river lies to the *north-east* of Gujarât, we must either read *east*, or suppose that the pilgrim referred to the western bank of the stream.