Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.200.1

c8.200.1

Gauḍa.—It was the capital of Bengal during the Hindu and Muslim periods. According to the commentary on the Jaina Ācārāṅgasūtra (II 361a), Gauḍadeśa was noted for silk garments (dukūla). According to some, the name of Gauḍa is derived from Guda, i.e., molasses, as Gauḍa was formerly a trading centre of molasses. The ruins of Gauḍa lie at a distance of 10 miles to the south-west of the modern town of Malda. It was an ancient town situated at the junction of the Ganges and Mahānandā. It occurs in the Epics and the Purāṇas. The Padma Purāṇa (189. 2) refers to Gauḍadeśa which was ruled by the king named Narasimha. It was the capital of Devapāla, Mahendrapāla, Ādisūra, Ballālasena and Mahommedan rulers up to about the close of the 16th century A.D. It formed a part of the kingdom of the Imperial Guptas during the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries A.D. There is no trace, at present, of Rāmāvatī, the capital of ancient Gauḍa under Pāla rulers. It lay several miles to the north of the present site of the ruins of Gauḍa near the river Kālindi. Lakṣmaṇāvatī, built by king Lakṣmaṇasena was the later capital of Gauḍa under the Sena and Muslim rulers. Near the present site of Gauḍa stands the ancient site of Rāmakeli, which was visited by Caitanyadeva. King Ballālasena built a castle at Gauḍa known as the Ballālabāḍi or Ballālabhitā. The ruins of this fort are found at Shahdullāpura. One of the biggest tanks in Bengal, known as Sāgardighi, is attributed to him.