On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c13.s2.25

v1.c13.s2.25

In the north-west of Matipur, Yuan-chuang proceeds to relate, on the east side of the Ganges was the city Mo-yü-lo (or Mayūra) above twenty li in circuit. It had a large population and streams of clear water: it produced bell-metal (t'u-shih), rock-crystal, and articles of jewelry. Near the city and close to the Ganges was a large Deva-Temple of many miracles, and in its inclosure was a tank the banks of which were faced with stone slabs, the tank being fed by an artificial passage from the Ganges. This was called the Ganges-Gate and it was a place for making religious merit and extinguishing guilt: there were constantly many thousands of people from distant regions assembled here bathing. Pious kings erected Puṇyaśālās in the district for the free distribution of dainty food and medical requisites to the kinless and friendless.