Vol. X, No. 9.] Notes on Ancient Aiiga. 347 



[N.S.] 



of Pundra, Odra, etc., who gave up the Brahminical rites and 

 doctrines became Sudras and were called Dasyus. 1 



The Angas had the peculiar custom of abandoning their 

 „ , . dead and selling their wives and 



Manners and customs. i-u ^ j-^i uri- 



children, as mentioned in the Maha- 

 bharata.' 2 This was evidently a survival of the old primitive 

 practices, which confirms the idea that they were originally 

 the aborigines of the country, as it appears from the Atharva- 

 samhita which speaks of them in contemptuous terms, but 

 were subsequently absorbed into the Aryan stock. Hence the 

 Angas are said to be of mixed origin by Baudhayana. Not- 

 withstanding the frequent predatory inroads to which Ariga 

 was subjected, it appears that it was a very flourishing country 

 up to the 11th century, and its capital Champa all along main- 

 tained its importance and dignity as one of the principal 



towns of Eastern India. Prosperity brought luxury in its 

 train with the concomitant vices, and accordingly we find 

 Campa described in the 6th century ad. as a resort of 

 gamblers, swindlers, rogues, roughs and footpads. 8 



1 Manusariihita, x, 43-45. 2 v iii, ch. 46. 



8 Dasakumar. . ch. 2. 



