Historical Geography of Ancient India c3.1

c3.1

A systematic and comprehensive historical geography of ancient India is undoubtedly a great necessity. It is indeed a long-felt want to have such a geography especially based on epigraphic data. With this object in view I have attempted to prepare the present book which is the outcome of my continued study of ancient Indian geography. I have arranged the geographical names in an alphabetical order and fully dealt with them under proper divisions to which they belong. I have utilized original works in Sanskrit (Vedic and Classical), Pali, Prakrit, Sinhalese, Burmese, Tibetan, and Chinese and I have received an invaluable help from other sources such as epigraphy, archaeology, numismatics, accounts of Greek travellers and Chinese pilgrims. Due attention has been paid to modern literature and modern researches on the subject. The investigations made in the line by Sir Alexander Cunningham, Sir William Jones, Lassen, Vivien-de St. Martin, Stanislas Julien, Buchanan Hamilton, Mackenzie, Sir Aurel Stein, Kirfel, Dey, S. N. Majumdar, Raychaudhuri and others are noteworthy, but they now require careful revision in order to make them thorough and up-to-date. My previous publications have given me an immense help to prepare this detailed treatise. The task is no doubt, fraught with difficulties, but I have tried my utmost to avert them as far as possible. I have spared no pains to make my treatment systematic, exhaustive, lucid, and useful. Three sketch-maps are given in this book for the guidance of the readers. I shall consider my labour amply rewarded, if this book greatly helps the geographers engaged in researches on ancient Indian geography.