The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s7: 7. Malakuta, or Madura.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s7
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7. Malakuta, or Madura.
c8.s7.1
From Kânchipura, Hwen Thsang proceeded to the south for 3000 *li*, or 500 miles, to *Mo-lo-kiu-cha*,* which M. Julien renders by Malakuta. In the southern part of the territory, towards the sea-coast, stood the mountain named *Mo-la-ye*, or Malaya, which produced sandal-wood. The country thus described is therefore the southern end of the peninsula, part of which is still called *Malayálam* and *Malayawára*, or *Malabár*; I would accordingly read the Chinese syllables as an abbreviated form of *Malayakuṭa*. The circuit of the kingdom was 5000 *li*, or 833 miles, being bounded by the sea to the south, and by the province of Drâviḍa to the north. As this estimate agrees almost exactly with the measurement of the end of the peninsula, to the south of the Kâveri river, the province of Malayakuṭa must have included the modern districts of Tanjor and Madura, on the east, with Coimbator, Cochin, and Travancore, on the west.
c8.s7.2
The position of the capital is difficult to fix, as a distance of 500 miles, to the south of Conjeveram, would take us out to sea beyond Cape Kumári, (Comorin). If we might read 1300 *li*, or 217 miles, instead of 3000 *li*, both bearing and distance would agree exactly with the position of the ancient city of Madura, which was the capital of the southern end of the peninsula in the time of Ptolemy. It is possible that *Kaulam* (Quilon) may have been the capital at the time of Hwen Thsang’s visit; but neither the distance nor the bearing agrees with the pilgrim’s statement, as the place is not more than 400 miles to the south-west of Conjeveram. To the north-east of the capital there was a town named *Charitra-pura*, or “Departure-town,” which was the port of embarkation for Ceylon. If Madura was the capital, the “port-city” was probably Negapatam; but, if *Kaulam* was the capital, the “port-city” must have been Râmnâd (*Râmanâthapura*). From this port, Ceylon was distant 3000 *li*, or 500 miles, to the south-east.
c8.s7.3
∗ Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ iii. 121. See Map No. I.
c8.s7.4
According to the writer of the ‘Life of Hwen Thsang,’* Malayakuṭa was not visited by the pilgrim, but described by hearsay, and the distance of 3000 *li* is said to be from the frontiers of Drâviḍa. But this would only increase the difficulty by placing the capital of Malayakuṭa still further to the south. In a note to this passage,† M. Julien quotes the *Si-yu-ki* as fixing the distance at 300 *li*, instead of 3000 *li*, as given in his translation of the Memoirs of Hwen Thsang. If this number is not a misprint, these different readings may show that there is some uncertainty as to the distance, as well as to the point of departure. I am inclined, therefore, to think that the original distances given in the memoirs and life of the pilgrim may perhaps have been 300 *li*, or 50 miles, from the frontiers of Drâviḍa in the latter, and 1300 *li*, or 217 miles, from the capital of Drâviḍa in the former. In either case, the capital of *Malayakuṭa* would be fixed at *Madura*, which has always been one of the principal cities of Southern India.
c8.s7.5
∗ Julien, i. 193: “*Il entendit dire qu’à trois mille li des frontières de ce pays [Drâviḍa] il y avait un royaume appelé Mo.lo.kiu.cha.*”
c8.s7.6
† ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ i. 193; and iii. 121.
c8.s7.7
According to Abu Rihân, and his copyist, Rashid-ud-din, *Málya* and *Kútal* (or *Kunak*) were two distinct provinces, the latter being to the south of the former, and the last, or most southerly district of India. It seems probable therefore, that *Malayakuṭa* is a compound name, formed by joining the names of two contiguous districts. Thus, *Málya* would answer to the district of *Pándya*, with its capital of *Madura*, and *Kúta*, or *Kútal*, to *Travancore*, with its capital of *Kochin*, the *Kottiara* of Ptolemy.
c8.s7.8
Hwen Thsang’s omission of any mention of *Chola* may be explained by the fact that at the time of his visit the *Chola-desa* formed part of the great kingdom of the *Cheras*. *Chola* is, however, duly noticed by Ptolemy, whose *Orthura regia Sornati* must be *Uriúr* the capital of *Soranátha*, or the king of the *Soringæ*, that is the *Soras*, *Choras* or *Cholas*. *Uriúr* is a few miles to the south-south-east of Trichinopoli. The *Soringæ* are most probably the *Syrieni* of Pliny with their three hundred cities, as they occupied the coast between the *Pandæ* and the *Derangæ* or Dravidians.
c8.s7.9
According to M. Julien* *Malayakuṭa* was also called *Chi-mo-lo*, which I read as *Jhi-mu-ra*, because the initial syllable is the same as the second syllable of *Chi-chi-to*, or *Jajhoti*. *Jhimura* is perhaps only a variant form of the *Limurike* of Strabo, Ptolemy, and Arrian, and of the *Damirice* of the Peutingerian Tables. It would also appear to be the same name as Pliny’s *Charmæ*, a people who occupied the western coast immediately above the *Pandæ*.
c8.s7.10
∗ ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ iii. 121.
c8.s7.11
In the Chino-Japanese map of India the alternative name of *Malayakuṭa* is *Hai-an-men*, which suggests a connection with Ptolemy’s *Aioi*.