Historical Geography of Ancient India c5.s5.15

c5.s5.15

Aṅga.—The kingdom of Aṅga had its capital named Campā, situated on the river of the same name³ (modern Chāndan) and the Ganges⁴ at a distance of 60 yojanas from the Videhan capital named Mithilā.⁵ The ancient name of Campā was Mālinī or Mālinā.⁶ It was built by Mahāgovinda.⁷ Its actual site is marked by the villages named Campānagara and Campāpurī which still exist near Bhagalpur. Campā gradually increased in wealth, and traders sailed from here to Suvarṇabhūmi (Lower Burma) for the purpose of trade. It was one of the six great cities of India. It was a big town and not a village, as it was mentioned as such by Ānanda while requesting the Master to obtain *parinirvāṇa* in one of the big cities.⁸ It had a watch-tower, walls and gates.⁹ The kingdom of Aṅga had 80,000 villages and Campā was one of them.¹⁰ Among the seven political divisions into which India was divided according to the *Dīgha-Nikāya* (II, 235), Aṅga was one of them having Campā as its capital. Campā was ruled by Aśoka’s son Mahinda, his sons and grandsons.¹¹ It was here the Master prescribed the use of slippers by monks.¹²