The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s4.58

c8.s4.58

At a much later date, in the beginning of the eleventh century, Danaka is mentioned by Abu Rihân, who describes it as “the plains of the Konkan.” Now, the Konkan is the valley of the Kistna river, and this description of the country of Danaka adds another proof to the correctness of my identification of Hwen Thsang’s Dhanakakata with the ruined city of Dhára-nikotta on the Kistna. According to Abu Rihân,* Danaka was the native country of the Karkadan, or rhinoceros. Now the same statement is made by the merchant Sulimân† of a country in the south of India, named Ruhmi, رهمي, which was famous also for extremely fine muslins, that could be passed through a ring. The same country is noticed by Masudi‡ as Rahma, and by Idrisi as Dumi. Masudi, also, notes that it extended along the seacoast. Now Marco Polo mentions the town of Mutafili, in the province of Masulipatam and to the north of Maabar, as famous for diamonds and for the thinnest and most delicate cotton cloths resembling spiders’ webs. Mutafili has generally been identified with Masulipatam itself; but a considerable town named Mutapili still exists near the seacoast at 65 miles to the south of Dháranikoṭṭa, and 70 miles to the south-west of Masulipatam. In either case, however, Marco’s notice determines the fact that the country about the mouths of the Godâvari was famous for diamonds and for delicately fine muslins. It must, therefore, have included the diamond district of Partyál, immediately to the north of Dháranikoṭṭa, as well as the muslin district of Masulipatam; and, accordingly, it may be identified with the Rahmi or Dumi of the Arab geographers. By a very slight change in the characters رهمي, Rahmi might become دنك, Dhanak, which would agree with the Danaka of Abu Rihân.