Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.222

c8.222

Harikela.—Harikela was an eastern country. Some have identified it with Vaṅga (*I.H.Q.*, II, 322; *Ibid.*, XIX, 220). Some hold that it was the coast land between Samatata and Orissa (*History of Bengal*, Dacca University, Vol. I, 134-35). Some are of opinion that it may be identified with some portions of Backerganj and Noakhali districts (P. L. Paul, *Early History of Bengal*, I, pp. iii-iv). Some go so far as to identify it with Chittagong and with a tract roughly covering the southern part of the district of Tipperah (*I.H.Q.*, XX, 5).¹ Harikela² (*O-li-ki-lo* or *A-li-ki-lo*) was visited by two Chinese priests according to I-tsing. Both these priests came to Harikela by the southern sea-route. It seems that Harikela was an inland country. It was situated some forty yojanas to the north of Tāmralipti. It lay wholly on the west of the river Meghnā. According to the *Karpūramañjarī* (Nirṇayasāgar ed., p. 13), it was situated in eastern India (cf. *I.C.*, XII, 88ff.).