The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t14: 12. Ayuto.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t14
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12. Ayuto.
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From Kanoj the two Chinese pilgrims followed different routes, Fa-Hian having proceeded direct to *Sha-chi* (the modern Ajudhya, near Fyzabad on the Ghâghra), while Hwen Thsang followed the course of the Ganges to Prayâg or Allahabad. The first stage of both pilgrims would, however, appear to be the same. Fa-Hian states that he crossed the Ganges and proceeded 3 *yojanas*, or 21 miles, to the south to the forest of Holi, where there were several stupas erected on spots where Buddha had “passed, or walked, or sat.”* Hwen Thsang records that he marched 100 *li*, nearly 17 miles, to the town of *Nava-deva-kula*, which was on the eastern bank of the Ganges, and that at 5 *li*, or nearly 1 mile, to the south-east of the town there was a stupa of Asoka, which was still 100 feet in height, besides some other monuments dedicated to the four previous Buddhas.† I think it probable that the two places are the same, and that the site was somewhere near Nobatganj, just above the junction of the *Isan* river, and opposite *Nanamow Ghât*. But as there are no existing remains anywhere in that neighbourhood, the place has been most likely swept away by the river. This is rendered almost certain by an examination of the Ganges below the junction of the *Isan*. Formerly the river continued its course almost due south from *Nanamow* for many miles, but some centuries ago it changed its course; first to the south-east for 4 or 5 miles, and then to the south-west for about the same distance, where it rejoined its old bed, leaving an island, some 6 miles in length by 4 in breadth, between the two channels. As Hwen Thsang’s account places *Nava-deva-kula* on the very site of this island, I conclude that the town as well as the Buddhist monuments must all have been swept away by the change in the river’s course.
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∗ Beal’s ‘Fah-Hian,’ xviii. 71.
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† Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ ii. 265.
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A probable source of error in all short distances was their registry in *yojanas* instead of in *kos*, which would have increased the distances just fourfold. If such an error should have been committed in the case of *Nava-deva-kula*, the actual distance would have been only 25 *li*, or a little more than 4 miles, instead of 17 miles. Now in this very position, 4 miles to the south-east of *Kanoj*, there is a well-known place on the Chota Gangâ, called *Deokali*, which is the same name as that given by the pilgrim, if we omit the first two syllables *Nava*, or ‘new.’
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On leaving *Nava-deva-kula*, Hwen Thsang proceeded 600 *li*, or 100 miles, to the south-east, and recrossing the Ganges reached the capital city of *A-yu-to*, which was 20 *li*, or upwards of 3 miles, in circuit. Both M. Julien and M. de St. Martin have identified this place with *Ayodhya*, the once celebrated capital of Rama. I accept the probable reading of the name as Ayuda, but I differ with them altogether in looking for the capital along the line of the Ghághra river, which is due east from Kanoj, whereas Hwen Thsang states that his route was to the south-east. It is of course quite possible that the pilgrim may occasionally use the generic name of Ganges as the appellation of any large river, such for instance as the Ghághra, but in the present case, where the recorded bearing of south-east agrees with the course of the Ganges, I think it is almost certain that the Ganges itself was the river intended by the pilgrim. But by adopting the line of the Ganges we encounter a difficulty of a different kind in the great excess of the distance between two such well-known places as Kanoj and Prayág. According to Hwen Thsang’s route, he first made 100 *li* to Nava-deva-kula, then 600 *li* to Ayuto, then 300 *li* by water to Hayamukha, and lastly 700 *li* to Prayága. All these distances added together make a total of 1700 *li*, or 283 miles, which is just 100 miles, or 600 *li*, in excess of the true distance. But as a part of the journey, viz. 300 *li*, or 50 miles, was performed by water, the actual excess may perhaps not be more than 85 or 90 miles; although it is doubtful whether the distance of 300 *li* may not have been the road measurement and not the river distance. It is sufficient for our purpose to know that Hwen Thsang’s recorded measurement is somewhere about 100 miles in excess of the truth. The only explanation of this error that suggests itself to me is, that there may have been an accidental alteration of one set of figures, such as 60 *li* for 600 *li*, or 700 *li* for 70 *li*. Supposing that the former was the case, the distance would be shortened by 540 *li*, or 90 miles, and if the latter, by 630 *li*, or 105 miles. This mode of correction brings the pilgrim’s account into fair accordance with the actual distance of 180 miles between Kanoj and Prayâg.
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By adopting the first supposition, Hwen Thsang’s distance from *Nava-deva-kula* to the capital of *Ayuto* will be only 60 *li*, or 10 miles, to the south-east, which would bring him to the site of an ancient city named *Kâkûpur*, just 1 mile to the north of Seorâjpoor, and 20 miles to the north-west of Cawnpore. The subsequent route would have been from *Kâkûpur* to *Daundiakhera* by boat, a distance of exactly 50 miles, or 300 *li*, and from thence to Prayâg, a distance of more than 100 miles, which agrees with the 700 *li*, or 116 miles, of the pilgrim. By the second supposition the subsequent route would have been from *Khara* to *Papamow* by water, about 50 miles, and thence to Prayâg, about 8 miles of land, which agrees with the 70 *li* of the proposed correction. In favour of this last supposition is the fact that the bearing from *Khara* to *Papamow* of east by south is more in accordance with Hwen Thsang’s recorded east direction than the south-east bearing of Daundiakhera from Kâkûpur. I confess, however, that I am more inclined to adopt the former correction, which places the chief city of *Ayuto* at Kâkûpur, and the town of *Hayamuka* at Daundiakhera, as we know that the last was the capital of the *Bais Rajputs* for a considerable period. I am partly inclined to this opinion by a suspicion that the name of *Kâkûpur* may be connected with that of *Bâgud*, or *Vâgud*, of the Tibetan books.* According to this authority a *Sâkya*, named *Shâmpaka*, on being banished from Kapila retired to *Bâgud*, carrying with him some of Buddha’s hair and nail-parings, over which he built a *chaitya*. He was made king of *Bâgud*, and the monument was named after himself (? *Shâmpaka stupa*). No clue is given as to the position of *Bâgud*, but as I know of no other name that resembles it, I am inclined to think that it is probably the same place as the *Ayuto* or *Ayuda* of Hwen Thsang. The two names have a striking resemblance; and as each of the places possessed a stupa containing some hair and nails of Buddha, I think that there are strong grounds for the identification.
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∗ Bengal ‘Asiatic Researches,’ xx. 88.
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*Kâkûpur* is well known to the people of Kanoj, who affirm that it was once a large city with a Raja of its own. It is exactly 10 miles, or 5 kos, to the north-west of Bithûr, and the land between the two places is called *Panj-kosi bhitar utpâlâranya*, or the “five kos circuit of Utpâlâranya.” The ruined mound of Kâkûpur is said to be the remains of a fort named *Chhatrpur*, which was founded by Raja Chhatr Pâl Chândel 900 years ago. Kâkûpur also possesses two famous temples dedicated to *Kshireswara Mahâdeva*, and *Aswatthâma* son of Drona, near which a large annual fair is held. These details are sufficient to show that the place must have been of some consequence in former days; while the name of Aswatthâma carries it back to the time of the Mahâbhârata.
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Hwen Thsang makes Ayuto 5000 *li*, or 833 miles, in circuit,* which is so utterly beyond all possibility that I reject it without hesitation. Perhaps we should read 500 *li*, or 83 miles, which would restrict the territory to the small tract lying between Kâkûpur and Cawnpore, and thus leave room for the next district of Hayamukha.
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∗ Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ ii. 267. See Map No. X.
Linked texts (1)
- Mahābhārata — Vyāsa, Sanskrit