The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c6.s3.4

Language: English

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Dāmudā—1 The river Dāmodara 2 Dharmodaya, in Bengal Daṇḍabhâṅgâ—A small river near Puri in Orissa called 1. Bhârgavî. 2. Bhâgî. Dantura—The river Baitaraṇî, on the north of Bassein, brought down to the earth by Paraśurâma. Dardistan—Darada, a country between Chitral and the Indus ; it was a part of Udyâna. Darjiling—Durjayaliṅga ; a temple of Mahâdeva called Durjayaliṅga is situated at this place. Daśân—The river Daśârṇa, which rises in Bhopâl and falls into the Betwa. Daśor—Daśapura in Malwa. Same as Mandasor. Dauli—The Dudh-Gaṅgâ, a branch of the Alakânandâ. Deccan—1. Dâkṣiṇâtya, that part of India which lies to the south of the Vindhyâ range, the portion between the Himalaya and the Vindhyâ being called Âryâvartta. It was the Dakhinabades of the Greeks and Dakṣiṇâ-patha of Bhavabhuti and the Purâṇas. Deeg—1. The river Devikâ, a tributary of the Râvi on its right bank in the Panjab. 2. Dîrghapura, in the territory of Bharatpur. Delhi—Old Delhi was 1. Indraprastha. 2. Khaṇḍavaprastha. 3. Bṛihasthala. 4. Dehalî, the capital of Yudhishṭhira, it is still called Indrapat. The Purâṇakillâ, or the old fort, is still pointed out as the fort of the Pâṇḍavas. It includes a portion of the pargana Tilpat (ancient Tilaprastha), one of the five villages demanded by Yudhishṭhira from Duryodhana.

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By Delhi is meant not on'y Shajahanabad—the modern Delhi of Shah Jahan, and Toglakabad—the Delhi of Ghiasuddeen Toglak Shah, but also the old Hindu city of Delhi—the Delhi of the Tomars and the Chohans, which was called Yoginîpura according to Chând Bardâi. The old Hindu city is situated at a distance of five miles from Indraprashtha or Indrapat. It is said to have been founded by Râjâ Dilu, and it was the capital of the Tomar king Anaṅga Pâl and his descendants and also of the Chohan king Biśâla Deva and his great grandson Prithvirâja. It contains the celebrated Iron Pillar set up by Râjâ Dhava in the fourth century of the Christian era (JASB., vol. VII, p. 629) to commemorate his victory over the Bâhlikas of the Panjab, but according to Dr. Bhau Daji (Revised Inscription on the Delhi Iron Pillar at Kootub Minar), the inscription does not contain the name of Dhava at all, but it shows that the pillar was constructed by one Chandra Râjâ, at the end of the 5th or beginning of the 6th century A.D., and he further says that the translation of the inscription in JASB., vol. VII, pp. 629-31 is incorrect. The inscription has now been correctly read and translated by Mr. Vincent A. Smith. The pillar was erected by Kumara Gupta I, son of Chandra Gupta II (Vikramâditya) in 415 A.D. (JRAS., 1897, p. 8). The pillar is now situated in the quadrangle of Prithvirâja's Yajñaśâlâ, called Bhootkhânâ by the Mahomedans.

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It also contains the ruins of a fort called Lâlkoṭ built by Anaṅga Pâl II in 1060 A.D.; the temple of Yogamâyâ worshipped by the Hindu emperors; the Kutub Minar, the highest tower in the world, built by Kutub-uddeen, the first Mahomedan emperor of Delhi, in 1193; the beautifully decorated tomb of Altamash; and the Alai Darwazâ or the gate of Alla-ud-din, built in 1310 A.D. Delhi appears to have been deserted after the fourth century, but peopled again by Anaṅga Pâl II after the conquest of Kânouj by the Rathors. Prithvirâja, the last Hindu king of Delhi, was defeated and taken prisoner and put to death by Mahomed Ghori in 1193, and the Hindu city of Delhi became the capital of the Pathan kings, Kutubuddin and his successors. Kutubuddin Eibuk and Altamash lived at Prithvirâja's fort (Lâlkoṭ) from 1191 to 1236. Ghiasuddin Bulban built another fort and town containing the "Ruby" or "Red" Palace at Ghiaspore near Humayun's Tomb and the Deenpânnâ Fort. Keikobad, his grandson, built a palace at Kelkheri or Gunglukheri. Alla-uddin built the town and fort of Secree, containing the Kutub Minar (JASB., 1847, p. 971). There are two of Aśoka's pillars in Delhi containing his edicts, one of them is situated at Ferozabad or Koṭilâ of Firoz Shah, where it was removed by him from a place near Srughna called Khizerabad, and the other is placed near the Memorial Tower of the Mutiny, where it was removed from Mirat by the same emperor.