The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t21.55

c6.s3.t21.55

But the identification of the Buddhistical *Anoma* with the modern *Aumi* is still further confirmed by the existence of three significant names on the eastern bank of the river, within a short distance of the point which I have assigned for the prince’s passage of the stream. On reaching the opposite bank, the prince alighted from his horse and directed his attendant *Chandaka* to return to Kapila.* At this spot there stood a stupa called *Chandaka-nivarttana*, or “Chandaka’s return,” which in the spoken dialects would probably have been shortened to *Chanda-bartta*. This place may, I think, be identified with the village of *Chandaoli* on the eastern bank of the Aumi river, near the head of the Aumiyar Lake, and 10 miles to the south of Gorakhpur. With his sword the prince then cut off his long locks of hair, *chuḍa*, which being thrown aloft were caught by the gods, who built a stupa on the spot called *Chuḍa-pati-graha*, or the “heap of hair-locks.” In the spoken dialects this name would have been shortened to *Chuḍa-gaha*, which, I think, may be identified with the village of *Chureya*, 3 miles to the north of Chandaoli. The prince next changed his royal garments, called *kásáya*, because made of the fine fabrics of *Kási*, or Banâras, for the plain dress of an ascetic; and on the spot where this took place the people erected a stupa, named *Kásáya-grahan*, or “doffed garments.” This place I would identify with the village of *Kaseyar*, 3½ miles to the south-east of Chandaoli. In favour of these identifications I may mention that Hwen Thsang places the stupa of the “doffed garments” to the east of that of “Chandaka’s return;” but his position of the stupa of the “cut hair” at a short distance from that of the “doffed garments” is directly opposed to the site that I have suggested at Chureya, which is 6 miles to the north of Kaseyar. It seems probable, therefore, that one of my suggested identifications must be wrong; but as the other two would appear to agree with the relative positions assigned by Hwen Thsang, I think that they are probably correct.