THE ANTIQUITIES OP MUKHALINGAM. 69 
the kingdoms of India, — the famous Kalinga country, of 
whose history so little is known that it reflects on their 
patriotism and love of research. Mr. Sewell says in his 
Antiquities of the Madras Presidency : — 
" We have still a great deal to learn about the sovereigns 
" and princes of Kalinga ; for though it is certain that 
''they were powerful and independent sovereigns at a very 
" early stage of the history of Sonthern India, as yet we 
" know nothing of their names. 
" The people and the reigning house of Kalinga are 
"alluded to in the oldest extant chronicles of India and 
" Ceylon and were known equally to the classical writers 
" of Greece and Rome and to the inhabitants of the far 
" East. They appear to have been hardy and adventurous 
''traders by sea to distant countries. The oldest Buddhist 
" legends speak of the Kalinga monarclis as the rulers of a 
"civilised country." — Vol. II. p. 183. 
Again, " The kingdom of Kalinga was one of the 
" oldest in India. Though not actually mentioned by name 
" in the Eiigveda, the sage Kakshivat is alluded to, and 
" he was the son of a female slave of the queen of 
" Kalinga. The country is mentioned in all the most ancient 
" chronicles. According to Buddhist legends, when Bud- 
"dha's relics were divided at his death, Brahmadatta, the 
" king of Kalinga, obtained his left canine tooth In the 
"time of Asoka (B.C. 200) the country was of sufficient 
"importance to justify that king's engraving his cele- 
" brated rock-edicts there for the enlightenment of the 
"people. Pliny divides the country into three portions, 
" Kalinga, Madhya-Kalinga, and Maha-Kalinga. With all 
" this, very little is known of the names of the kings who 
'■' reigned over the country, except through native chronicles, 
" which are very untrustworthy.'"'' — Vol. II. p. 258. 
Mukhalingam is a noted place of pilgrimage in the Parla- 
10 
