The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s4.66

c8.s4.66

Hwen Thsang describes the province of *Dhanakaṭa* as 6000 *li*, or 1000 miles, in circuit. These large dimensions are corroborated by its other name of *Ta-an-ta-lo*, that is *Mahā Andhra*, or the great Andhra, which is noted by the Chinese editor,‡ as the other districts of *Teliṅgāna*, namely Kalinga and Andhra proper are smaller than *Dhanakaṭa*. No frontier is mentioned in any direction; but it is most probable that the boundaries of the province corresponded as nearly as possible with the limits of the Telugu language, which extended to Kulbarga and Pennakonda on the west, and to Tripati and the Pulikat lake on the south. On the north it was bounded by Andhra and Kalinga, and on the east by the sea. The circuit of these boundaries is, as nearly as possible, 1000 miles; and I am, therefore, inclined to believe that the large tract of country thus described is the famous Dhanakaṭa of Hwen Thsang.