Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India c26.2

c26.2

That maps were made in ancient India seems to be quite clear from the evidence of the *New History of the T’ang Dynasty*¹ which gives an account of the Chinese general Wang Hiuen-tse’s exploits in India in the year 648 A.D., as to how with the help of 1000 Tibetan soldiers and 7000 Nepalese horsemen he defeated and captured Na-fu-ti O-lo-na-shuen, who had usurped Chi-lo-i-to’s (*i.e.* Śīlāditya-Harṣavardhana’s) throne, in a battle near the town of Cha-puo-ho-lo, and received the submission of 580 walled towns as well as the offer of friendship of Chi-kieu-mo (*i.e.* Śrī-Kumāra *alias* Bhāskaravarman), king of Eastern India. King Chi-kieu-mo’s presents to the Chinese general is stated to have included 30000 oxen and horses and considerable war material and it is further said in this connection that the said king of Kia-mu-lū (*i.e.* Kāmarūpa) presented to the Chinese emperor some curious articles including ‘a map of the country’. This map of Kāmarūpa appears to have been prepared by the artists at king Bhāskaravarman’s court.