38 
ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY OP KAS'MlR. [Extra No. 2, 
graphical details, is furnished by his description of the great operations 
which were carried out under Avantivarman with a view to regulating 
the course of the Vitasta and draining the Valley. 1 Thanks to the 
exactness with which the relative position of the old and new confluence 
of the Vitasta and Sindhu is described, before and after the regulation, 
respectively, it has been possible even after so many centuries to trace 
in detail the objects and results of an important change in the hydro¬ 
graphy of the Valley. 2 
Equal attention to the topographical details we find in numerous 
accounts of military operations. Of these it will suffice to quote here 
the descriptions of the several sieges of S'rinagar, under Sussala ; 3 the 
battle on the Gopadri hill in the same reign ; 4 * the blockade of Lohara , 
with the disastrous retreat through the mountains that followed, 6 and, 
last but not least, the siege of the Sii'cihsila castle. The topographical 
accuracy of the latter account as proved in Note L, viii. 2492, almost 
presupposes on Kalhana’s part a personal examination of the site. It is 
all the more noteworthy, because the scene of the events there recorded 
was a region outside Kasmir proper, distant and difficult of access. 
There are also smaller points that help to raise our estimate of 
Kalhana’s reliability in topographical matters. Of such I may men¬ 
tion for example the close agreement we can trace everywhere between 
Kalhana’s statements regarding distances, whether given in road or 
time-measure, and the actual facts. The number of marches reckoned 
by him is thus always easily verified by a reference to the stages ob¬ 
served on the corresponding modern routes. 6 Not less gratifying is it 
to find how careful Kalhana is to distinguish between homonymous 
localities. 7 In addition we must give credit to our author for the just 
observation of many characteristic features in the climate, ethnography, 
and economical condition of Kasmir and the neighbouring regions. 8 All 
these notices help to invest with additional interest the data furnished 
for the old topography of the country. 
1 Compare v. 84-121. 
2 Compare Note I, v. 97-100, on the Vitastasindhusaihgama, and below, §§ 69-72. 
3 See viii. 729 sqq ; 1060 sqq. 
4 Compare viii. 1099—1115. 
& See viii. 1842-80 and Note E, iv. 177, § 10. 
8 Compare for distance measurements note i. 264 ; v. 103 ; vii. 393 ; for the 
reckoning of marches on the Vitasta Valley route, v. 225 ; on the T5s?maidan pass, 
vii. 140; on the route to the PIr Pantsiil Pass, vii. 558 ; on the way to Martanda, 
vii. 715, etc. 
^ Compare notes i. 113 ; i. 124 ; v. 123 on the several Jyestharudras and the 
way in which Kalhana specifies them. 
8 Compare below, §§ 77-79. 
