The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c7.s4.1

c7.s4.1

Hwen Thsang places the capital of *Kie-lo-na-su-fa-la-na*, or *Kiraṇa Suvarna*, at 700 *li*, or 117 miles, to the north-west of Tâmralipti, and the same distance to the north-east of *Odra* or Orissa.† As the capital of Orissa in the seventh century was Jájipur on the Vaitarani river, the chief city of Kirana Suvarna must be looked for along the course of the Suvarna-riksha river, somewhere about the districts of Singhbhúm and Barabhúm. But this wild part of India is so little known that I am unable to suggest any particular place as the probable representative of the ancient capital of the country. Bara Bâzâr is the chief town in Barabhûm, and as its position corresponds very closely with that indicated by Hwen Thsang, it may be accepted as the approximate site of the capital in the seventh century. The territory was from 4400 to 4500 *li*, or from 733 to 750 miles, in circuit. It must, therefore, have comprised all the petty hill-states lying between Medinipur and Sirguja on the east and west, and between the sources of the Damuda and Vaitarani on the north and south.