Tribes in Ancient India c25.5

c25.5

The commentary on Kauṭilya’s *Arthaśāstra* has some interesting remarks on the Barbara country, and its river Srotasī, which was a source of pearls. Alakanda, a city famous for its pearls, stood on this river. There was also a lake named Śrighanta in a corner of the sea of Barbara.³ S. N. Mazumdar sees in Alakanda a remnant of Alexander’s name, and he identifies the city with Alexander’s Haven.⁴ V. A. Smith (*Early History of India*, p. 110, 4th Ed.) points out that the large lake at the mouth of the river where Alexander’s Haven stood (near Karachi) still exists. This lake may be identified with the lake Śrighanta mentioned in the *Arthaśāstra* commentary.