The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t30: 25. Nepâla.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t30
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25. Nepâla.
c6.s3.t30.1
From Vriji the Chinese pilgrim visited *Ni.po.lo*, or Nepâla, which he places to the north-west at 1400 or 1500 *li*, or 233 to 250 miles.[*] From Janakpur there are two routes to Nepâl, one by the *Kamalá* river, and the other by the *Bhágmati* or *Bhágavati* river; but the distance is not more than 150 miles by either of them. The circuit of the country is said to be 4000 *li*, or 667 miles, which is much too small, unless the estimate refers to the district of Nepâl Proper on the *Sapta Kausiki*, or seven streams of the Kosi river. But in this case the hill country on the Gandak river must have been a separate territory, which is very improbable. I would therefore assign to Nepâl the basins of both rivers, and alter Hwen Thsang’s estimate to 6000 *li*, or 1000 miles, which is about the actual size of the two valleys.
c6.s3.t30.2
∗ Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ ii. 407.
c6.s3.t30.3
The Raja of Nepâl was a Kshatriya of the race of *Lichhavi* named *Ansu-Varmma*, who is probably the *Anghu Varmma* of the native histories, as he belonged to the *Newarit* or *Newar* dynasty of conquerors. As a *Lichhavi*, *Ansu Varmma* must also have been a foreigner, that is one of the *Vrijis* of Vaîsâli. The dates likewise correspond, as *Anghu Varmma* is the fifteenth ruler prior to Râghava Deva, who established the Newar era in A.D. 880. Allowing seventeen years to each reign, the accession of *Anghu Varmma* will be fixed in A.D. 625, and Hwen Thsang’s visit in A.D. 637 will fall towards the end of his reign.
c6.s3.t30.4
It is curious that the kings of Tibet and Ladâk also trace their descent from the *Lichhavis*. But if their claims are well founded they must have been offshoots from the Nepâl branch of the family. Now the *Lichhavi* conquest of Nepâl is assigned to *Newarit*, who preceded *Anghu Varmma* by 37 reigns, which at 17 years each, will give a period of 629 years, equivalent to B.C. 4 for his accession. The Tibetan history begins with the accession of *Nyah-khri-Tsanpo*, whose date is roughly fixed at 500 years prior to *Lha-Thothori* in A.D. 407, or about 93 B.C. But as *Lha-Thothori’s* fifth successor was born in A.D. 627, there must be an error of about one century and a half in the date of 407. Applying this correction to the date of the first king, the Lichhavi conquest cannot be fixed earlier than A.D. 50, or about two generations after the conquest of Nepâl.