1865.] Report of the Archeological Survey. 191 
tioned as being four miles to the north of Atranji Khera. The chief 
objection to this identification is the fact that Karsdna is apparently 
not a very old place, although it is sometimes called Deora Karsdna, 
a name which implies the possession of a temple of note at some for- 
mer period. It is, however, possible that the name of Karsdna may 
once have been joined to Atranji in the same way that we find Sikan- 
darpur Atreji in the Ayin Akbari. As the identification of Karsdna 
with Pilosana is purely conjectural, it is useless to hazard any more 
speculations on this subject. The bearing and distance from Sankisa, as 
recorded by Hwen Thsang, point to the neighbourhood of Strpura, near 
which there is a small village called Pilkuni, or Pilokuni, which is the 
Pilukhoni of our maps. It is, however, a very petty place ; and although 
it boasts of a small khera, or mound of ruins, it cannot, I think, have 
ever been more than one-fourth of the circuit of two miles which Hwen 
Thsang attributes to Pi-lo-shan-na. But there are two strong points 
in its favour—namely, Ist, its position, which agrees both in bearing 
and distance with the Chinese pilgrim’s account; and 2nd, its name, 
which is almost identical with the old name, sh being very commonly 
pronounced as kh, so that Hwen Thsang’s Pdloshana would usually 
be pronounced Pilokhana. 
231. In proposing Atranji-Khera as the site of the ancient P2lo- 
shanna, I am influenced solely by the fact that this is .the only large 
place besides Soron of any antiquity in this part of the country. It is 
true that the distance from Sankisa is somewhat greater than that 
recorded by the Chinese pilgrim—namely, 45 miles, instead of 33 
~ miles; but the bearing is exact; and as it is quite possible that there 
may be some mistake in Hwen Thsang’s recorded distance, I think 
that Atranji-Khera has a better claim than any other place to be 
" identified with the ancient Piloshana. I have not visited the place 
myself, as I was not aware of its importance when I was in its neigh- 
bourhood. I propose, however, to take an early opportunity of explor- 










— 
ing it in person. In the meantime I have had it inspected by a 
_ trustworthy servant, whose report shows that Atranji must once have 
been a place of considerable extent and importance. According to him, 
the great mound of Atranji is 3,250 in length, and 2,550 in breadth at 
the base. Now, these dimensions would give a circuit of about two 
miles, which is the very size of Piloshana as recorded by Hwen Thsang. 

