The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t38: 29. Kânkjol.

The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t38

Language: English

29. Kânkjol.

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From *Champâ* the pilgrim travelled to the eastward for 400 *li*, or 67 miles, to a small district named *Kie-chu-u-khi-lo*, or *Kie-ching-kie-lo*.[*] The distance and bearing bring us to the district of *Râjmahal*, which was originally called *Kânkjol*, after a town of that name which still exists 18 miles to the south of Râjmahal. Following the river route viâ Kahalgaon (Colgong) and Râjmahal, the distance from Bhâgalpur is just 90 miles; but by the direct route through the hills, viâ Mângaon and Bharhat, the distance is under 70 miles. As this position agrees with that of the place indicated by Hwen Thsang, I suspect that there may have been a transposition of two syllables in the Chinese name, and that we should read *Kie-kie-chu-lo*, which is a literal transcript of *Kánkjol*. In Gladwyn’s translation of the ‘Ayin Akbari’* the name is read as *Gungjook*, but as all the names are given alphabetically in the original, it is certain that the first letter is a *k*; I conclude, therefore, that the true name is *Kánkjol*, as the final *l* might easily be misread as a *k*. In his Gazetteer, Hamilton† calls the place *Caukjole*, which is probably a misprint for *Cankjole*. He notes that the district of Râjmahal was formerly “named Akbarnagar from its capital, and in the revenue records *Caukjole*, as being the chief military division.”

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∗ Julien's ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ iii. 73. See Map No. I.

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† ‘Gazetteer of India,’ in *v.* Râjamahal.

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Hwen Thsang estimates the size of the district at 2000 *li*, or 333 miles, in circuit; but as it was a dependency of one of the neighbouring kingdoms it was probably included, as I have already noted, in the area of the dominant state. When independent, the petty state of *Kánkjol* most probably comprised the whole of the hill country to the south and west of Râjmahal, with the plains lying between the hills and the Bhâgirathi river as far south as Murshidâbâd. The circuit of this tract would be about 300 miles, as stated by Hwen Thsang.

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∗ ‘Ayin Akbari,’ ii. 178.

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30. PAUNDRA VARDDHANA.

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From Kânkjol the pilgrim crossed the Ganges, and travelling eastward for 600 *li*, or 100 miles, he reached the kingdom of *Pun-na-fa-tan-na*.* This name M. Stanislas Julien renders as *Paundra-Varddhana*, and M. Vivien de Saint-Martin identifies it with Bardwân. But Bardwân is to the south of the last station, and on the same side of the Ganges, besides which its Sanskrit name is *Varddhamâna*. The difference in the direction of the route might be a mistake, as we have found in several previous instances; but the other differences are, I think, absolutely fatal to the identification of Bardwân with the place noted by Hwen Thsang. I would propose Pubna, which is just 100 miles from *Kânkjol*, and on the opposite bank of the Ganges, but its direction is nearly south-east instead of east. The Chinese syllables may represent either *Punya Varddhana*, or *Paundra Varddhana*; but the latter must be the true name, as it is mentioned in the native history of Kashmir† as the capital of *Jayanta*, Raja of *Gau.*, who reigned from A.D. 782 to 813. In the spoken dialects the name would be shortened from *Pon-bardhan* to *Pobadhan*, from which it is an easy step to *Pubna*, or *Pobna*, as some of the people now pronounce it. Hwen Thsang estimates the circuit of the kingdom at 4000 *li*, or 667 miles, which agrees exactly with the dimensions of the tract of country bounded by the Mahânadi on the west, the Tista and Brahmaputra on the east, and the Ganges on the south.

Linked texts (2)

Rājataraṅgiṇī — Kalhaṇa, Sanskrit
Bhaviṣyapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit