The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c7.s5.3

c7.s5.3

The province was 7000 *li*, or 1167 miles, in circuit, and was bounded by the great sea on the south-east, where there was a famous seaport town named *Che-li-ta-lo-ching*, or *Charitrapura*, that is, the “town of embarkation” or “departure.” This was probably the present town of *Puri*, or “the city,” near which stands the famous temple of Jagannâth. Outside the town there were five contiguous stupas with towers and pavilions of great height. I presume that it is one of these which is now dedicated to Jagannâth. The three shapeless figures of this god and his brother and sister, Baladeva and Subhadrâ, are simple copies of the symbolical figures of the Buddhist triad, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, of which the second is always represented as a female. The Buddhist origin of the Jagannâth figures is proved beyond all doubt by their adoption as the representative of the Brahmanical Avatâr of Buddha in the annual almanacs of Mathura and Banâras.