188 Report of the Archaeological Survey. [No. 3- 7 



TIL— SORON, OR STJKARA-KSHETRA. 



226. From Ahi-chhatra the Chinese pilgrim proceeded in a south 

 direction a distance of from 260 to 270 li, from 23 to 25 miles, to 

 the Granges, which he crossed, and then turning to the south-west he 

 arrived in the kingdom of Pi-lo-shan-na. His route to the south 

 would have taken him through Aonla and Budaon to the Budh Ganga 

 (or old Granges) somewhere near Sahawar, a few miles helow Soron, both 

 of which places stood on the main stream of the Granges so late as 400 

 years ago. As his subsquent route is said to have been to the south- 

 west, I believe that he must have crossed the Ganges close to Sahawar, 

 which is 42 miles from Ahi-chhatra in a direct line. From all my 

 early enquiries I was led to believe that Soron was the only ancient 

 place in this vicinity ; and as Hwen Thsang does not give any distance 

 for bis south-west march, I concluded that Soron must have been the 

 place to which he gives the name of Pi-lo-shan-na. I accordingly 

 visited Soron, which is undoubtedly a place of very great antiquity, 

 but which cannot, I think, be the place visited by the Chinese pilgrim, 

 I will, however, first describe Soro7i before I proceed to discuss the 

 superior claims of the great ruined mound of Atranji-Khera to be 

 identified with the Pi-lo-shan-na of the Chinese pilgrim. 



227. Soron is a large town on the right, or western, bank of the 

 Granges, on the high road between Bareli and Mathura. The place 

 was originally called Uhala Kshetra ; but after the demon Hiranyahsha 

 had been killed by the Vardha Avatar, or Boar incarnation of Vishnu, 

 the name was changed to Sukura Kshetra, or " the place of the good 

 deed." The ancient town is represented by a ruined mound called the 

 Kilah, or " fort," which is one quarter of a mile in length from north 

 to south, and somewhat less in breadth. It stands on the high bank 

 of the old bed of the Ganges, which is said by some to have flowed 

 immediately under it so late as 200 years ago. The modern town 

 stands at the foot of the old mound on the west and south sides, and* 

 probably contains about 5,000 inhabitants. There are no dwellings 

 on the old mound, which is occupied only by the temple of Sita-Rdmji 

 and the tomb of Shehh-Jamdl. But it is covered with broken bricks 

 of large size, and the foundations of walls can be traced in all direc- 

 tions. The mound is said to be the ruins of a fort built by Raja 

 fiomadatta of Soron many hundred years ago. But the original 



