Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, v. 1 of 3: or the Central and Western Rajput States of IndiaTod, James
History
Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, v. 1 of 3: or the Central and Western Rajput States of India
Tod, James
Rajasthan (India) -- History; Rajput (Indic people) -- History
The position of Minnagara has occupied the attention of geographers
from D’Anville to Pottinger. Sind being conquered by Omar, general of
the caliph Al-Mansur (Abbasi), the name of Minnagara was changed to
Mansura, “une ville célèbre sur le rivage droit du Sind ou Mehran.”
“Ptolémée fait aussi mention de cette ville; mais en la déplaçant,”
etc. D’Anville places it about 26°, but not so high as Ulug Bég, whose
tables make it 26° 40´. I have said elsewhere that I had little doubt
that Minnagara, handed down to us by the author of the _Periplus_ as
the μετρόπολις τῆς Σκυθίας, was the Saminagara of the Yadu Jarejas,
whose chronicles claim Seistān as their ancient possession, and in all
probability was the stronghold (_nagara_) of Sambos, the opponent of
Alexander. On every consideration, I am inclined to place it on the
site of Sehwan. The learned Vincent, in his translation of the
_Periplus_, enters fully and with great judgment upon this point,
citing every authority, Arrian, Ptolemy, Al-Biruni, Edrisi, D’Anville,
and De la Rochette. He has a note (26, p. 386, vol. i.) which is
conclusive, could he have applied it: “Al-Birun [equi-distant] between
Debeil and Mansura.” D’Anville also says: “de Mansora à la ville
nommée Birun, la distance est indiquée de quinze parasanges dans
Abulféda,” who fixes it, on the authority of Abu-Rehan (surnamed
Al-Biruni from his birthplace), at 26° 40´. The ancient name of
Haidarabad, the present capital of Sind, was Nerun (نيرون;) or Nirun,
and is almost equi-distant, as Abulfeda says, between Debal (Dewal or
Tatta) and Mansura, Sehwan, or Minnagara, the latitude of which,
according to my construction, is 26° 11´. Those who wish to pursue
this may examine the _Éclaircissemens sur la Carte de l’Inde_, p. 37
_et seq._, and Dr. Vincent’s estimable translation, p. 386. [The site
of Minnagara, like those of all the cities in the delta of the Indus,
owing to changes in the course of the river, is very uncertain.
Jhajhpur or Mungrapur has been suggested (McCrindle, _Ptolemy_, 72,
_Periplus_, 1086 f.). Nīrūn has been identified with Helāi, a little
below Jarak, on the high road from Tatta to Haidarābād (Elliot-Dowson
i. 400).]
Footnote 4.1.32:
See _History of the Tribes_, p. 107, and translation of Inscription
No. I. _Vide_ Appendix.
Footnote 4.1.33:
Considerable intercourse was carried on between the princes of India
and China from the earliest periods; but particularly during the
dynasties of Sum, Leam and Tam, from the fourth to the seventh
centuries, when the princes from Bengal and Malabar to the Panjab sent
embassies to the Chinese monarchs. The dominions of these Hindu
princes may yet be identified. [Cosmas flourished in the sixth century
A.D., and never reached India proper (_EB_, vii. 214).]
Footnote 4.1.34:
[Gollas was Mihiragula (Smith, _EHI_, 317).]
Footnote 4.1.35:
[_Ibid._ 230 f.]
Footnote 4.1.36:
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