Historical Geography of Ancient India c9.48

c9.48

The Aryans seem to have sailed from Kāthiāwāḍ to Bharukaccha and from Bharukaccha to Śūrpāraka.² In early Buddhist literature as well as in the early centuries of the Christian era, Bharukaccha was an important seat of sea-going trade and commerce. From Ujjayini every commodity for local consumption was brought down to Barygaza (Bhṛgukaccha, *Periplus of the Erythraean Sea*, section 48). The *Periplus* (section 49) notices that the Onyx-stones were imported into Barygaza. According to Ptolemy, it was the greatest seat of commerce in western India.³ The *Sussondi Jātaka* refers to the journey of the minstrel Sagga from Benaras to Bharukaccha, which was a seaport town (*Paṭṭana-gāma*) from which ships sailed for different countries. Some merchants of this port were sailing for Suvarṇabhūmi (identified with Lower Burma). A minstrel who came to Bharukaccha approached them and promised to play music, if he was taken by them on their ship. They took him on the ship and his music excited the fish in the water so much that the ship was badly wrecked.¹ At Bharukaccha a master mariner lost both his eyes being injured by salt-water. He was then appointed by the king as the valuer. He gave up this post and came back to Bharukaccha where he lived. Some merchants asked him to sail their ship, although he was blind. Being pressed much by them he consented. He at last saved the ship from destruction and brought it back safely to its place of destination, which was the seaport town of Bharukaccha.²