Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c12.s3.20

c12.s3.20

It is unfortunate that we are not sure about the outer boundaries of the Mallian territories. Here the sources are meagre and scholars differ with regard to their definite geographical situation. Rhys Davids states that the territory of these independent clans, "if we may trust the Chinese pilgrims, was on the mountain slopes to the east of the Sākiya-land, and to the north of the Vajjian Confederation".¹ Jayaswal suggests another location. "The Mallas," he says, "covered a large area to the south of the Śākyas and the east of the Vṛjis, from the district of Gorakhpur to that of Champaran ...".² He further remarks that "the lower Mallas are called Dakshiṇa Mallas in the *Sabhā-Parvan*, which places the higher Mallas next to Kosala".³ Kusinārā has been identified by Cunningham with the village of Kāsiā in the east of the Gorakhpur district,⁴ and this view has been strengthened by the discovery of a *stūpa* behind the *Nirvāṇa* temple.⁵ Near this village (Kāsiā), a copper plate has been found bearing the inscription "the copper plate of the parinirvāṇa-caitya" (*parinirvāṇa-caitya-tāmrapatra*).⁶ This identification thus appears to be correct, although V. A. Smith would prefer to place Kusinārā in Nepal, beyond the first range of hills.⁷