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VIL—SORON, OR SUKARA-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 Ganges, which he crossed, and then turning to the south-west he 
arrived in the kingdom of P%-lo-shan-na. His route to the south 
would have taken him through Aonla and Budaon to the Budh Ganga - 
(or old Ganges) somewhere near Sahawar, a few miles below Soron, both 
of which places stood on the main stream of the Ganges 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 his 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 Soron 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 
Ganges, on the high road between Bareli and Mathura. The place . 
was originally called Ukala Kshetra ; but after the demon Hiranyaksha 
had been killed by the Vardha Avatar, or Boar incarnation of Vishnu, 
the name was changed to Sukwra 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 Svta-Rdmje 
and the tomb of Shekh-Jamdl. But it is covered with broken bricks” 
of large size, and the foundations of walls can be traced in all diree~ 
tions. The mound is said to be the ruins of a fort built by Raja 
Somadatta of Soron many hundred years ago. But the original 
