The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s12.67

c5.s12.67

Tukhara—Balkh; Bactria of the Greeks and Tokharistan of the Arab geographers (Mahabharata, Sabha P., ch. 51; Brihat-Samhita, ch. 16). According to Legge, it has been identified by Eitel with Yuchshe, the country of the Indo-Scythians of the Greek, and Tartars of the Chinese writers, who destroyed the Bactrian kingdom in 126 B.C. and finally conquered the Panjab and other parts of India Kanishka was originally king of Yuchshe (Legge's Fa Hien, p. 34). According to Dr. Stein, the upper Oxus' valley, including Balkh and Badakshan (Dr. Stein's Rajatarangini, vol. 1, p. 136; Layard's Nineveh, vol. 1) was called Tukhara. It was inhabited by the Tocharis of classical writers. Tushara (or Tukhara) was celebrated for its fine breed of horses (Nakula's Asvachikitsam, ch. 2). Same as Tushara.