The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s7.1

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.