Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India c8.s3.153

Language: English

c8.s3.153

The great country called Siṃhala, the best of all countries, is placed to the east of Maru-deśa and to the south of the Kām-ādri. This Siṃhala cannot be identified with Ceylon. It is evidently in the Punjab-Rajasthan region and reminds us of the kingdom of Siṃhapura mentioned by Hiuen-tsang. The capital of this kingdom has been identified with Khetas or Katas in the Jhelum District, which is, next to Jvālāmukhī, the most frequented place of pilgrimage in the Punjab. Tantric literature locates Sambhala (probably, Siṃhala) and Laṅkāpurī in the Swat-Kashmir region.³

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