An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c46.83

v2.c46.83

**Tamluk** (22°20′; 87°55′), Dt Midnapur, on the right bank of the Rupnarayan, identified as ancient Tāmralipta, one of the greatest sea-ports of India. The importance of Tāmralipta as a port wherefrom Indian seacraft sailed to distant lands is indicated by frequent references to it in Pāli and Sanskrit literature under different names such as Tāmralipta, Dāmalipta, Tāmralipi, Tāmraliptikā or Velākula. The city also figures in the works of Pliny (1st century A.D.) and Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.) as Taluctae and Tamalites respectively. Besides being a prosperous commercial town it was also a centre of religion and culture. The city was visited by Fa-hien, Hiuen Tsang and I Tsing who left glowing accounts of this flourishing centre.