1899.] 
NORTHERN AND EASTERN MOUNTAIN RANGES. 
95 
60 . Connected with the eastern range is a mass of mountains 
which it will be convenient to mention here 
Watershed range ,, , , £ , £ . 
, , ,, though it does not form part oi the mountain- 
between Smdhu p f *8 
and Vitasta barriers of Kasmir. It fills the great trian¬ 
gular space which lies between the Sind Yalley 
and the range in the east we have just noticed, the level ground along 
the right bank of the Vitasta forming as it were the base. This mass 
of mountains separates from the eastern ridge between the Kohenhar 
and Amburnath Peaks. Trending westwards it soon culminates in the 
conspicuous pinnacle of Mount Gastbrar (map ‘Kolahoi’), close on 
18,000 feet in height. From this conspicuous mountain numerous spurs 
radiate with glaciers in their topmost hollows. 
The highest of these ridges runs for about thirty miles along the 
Sind Yalley, of which it forms the southern side. A high cross-spur, now- 
known as Durun Nar, which descends to the north towards Sun a marg, 
is probably identical with Mount Dhudavana, the scene of a siege 
related in the Kajataranginl. 1 The extremity of this ridge in tlie west 
forms the amphitheatre of bold hills which encircle the Dal lake and 
STinagar on the north. Here we have Mount Mahadeva which is 
much frequented as a Tirtha. 2 
Facing it from the south is the rocky spur which lines the eastern 
shores of the Dal. It bore in old days the name of S'rIdvaea , 3 and is 
the site of a series of ancient pilgrimage places, such as Suresvari, 
Tripuresvara, Harsesvara, and Jyesthesvara, which will be discussed 
below. The extreme offshoot of this spur is the ‘ Hill of Gopa ’ 
(Gopadri ), the present Takht-i Sulaiman, which is so conspicuous a 
feature in the landscape of STinagar. Other spurs descending into the 
vale further east form successively the semicircular side-valleys contain¬ 
ing the Parganas of Vihl and Vular. 
We now return once more to the eastern range. South of the 
Kohenhar Peak which is still over 17,000 feet high, its summit ridge 
gets gradually lower. It is crossed by the Margan Pass into Madi- 
vadvan. Of the latter valley I can find no old mention. Still further 
south we come to the Marbal Pass, at an elevation of 11,500 feet, which 
forms the usual route towards Knst a var. 
This territory which is now partially inhabited by Kasmiris, is 
mentioned as an independent hill-state by Kalhana. 4 The valley into 
1 See Rdjat. viii. 595 note and below, § 131. 
2 It is mentioned in the NUamata , 1324, and frequently in the S'arvdvatdra. 
3 See Rdjat. viii. 2422 note. 
4 Compare regarding the old Kdsthavdta note vii, 588-590, where also the 
references in the later Chronicles are given. 
