The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t13.11

c6.s3.t13.11

The modern town of Kanoj occupies only the north end of the site of the old city, including the whole of what is now called the *Kilah*, or citadel. The boundaries are well defined by the shrine of *Háji-Harmáyan* on the north, the tomb of *Táj-Báj* on the south-west, and the Masjid and tomb of *Makhdum-Jahániya* on the south-east. The houses are much scattered, especially inside the citadel, so that though the city still covers nearly one square mile, yet the population barely exceeds 16,000 in number. The citadel, which occupies all the highest ground, is triangular in shape, its northern point being the shrine *Háji-Harmáyan*, its south-west point the temple of *Ajay Pál*, and its south-east point the large bastion called *Kshem Kali Búrj*. Each of the faces is about 4000 feet in length, that to the north-west being protected by the bed of the nameless dry Nala, that to the north-east by the *Chota Gangá*, while that to the south must have been covered by a ditch, which is now one of the main roads of the city, running along the foot of the mound from the bridge below Ajay Pâl's temple to the *Kshem Kali* bastion. On the north-east face the mound rises to 60 and 70 feet in height above the low ground on the bank of the river, and towards the Nala on the north-west it still maintains a height of from 40 to 50 feet. On the southern side, however, it is not more than 30 feet immediately below the temple of *Ajay Pál*, but it increases to 40 feet below the tomb of *Balá Pir*. The situation is a commanding one, and before the use of cannon the height alone must have made Kanoj a strong and important position. The people point out the sites of two gates, the first to the north, near the shrine of *Haji Harmayan*, and the second to the south-east, close to the *Kshem Kali Burj*. But as both of these gates lead to the river, it is certain that there must have been a third gate on the land side towards the south-west, and the most probable position seems to be immediately under the walls of the *Rang Mahal*, and close to the temple of *Ajay Pal*.