1899.] 
ANCIENT SITES OF S'RINAGARA. 
155 
Left river bank. 
Leaving tlie Seta where it makes its great bend and going north 
across low ground flanked by marshes, we reach the quarter of Nov^pur, 
The bridge which leads here over the Mar or Maliasarit, is repeatedly 
mentioned as Naupurasrtu by STivara, in connection with later sieges 
of STinagar. 1 By breaking it, the south-eastern parts of the city were 
rendered more secure. Continuing our route to the north we come 
to the great suburb of Rancor. It is traversed by numerous canals 
coming from the Dal. Kalhana mentions it repeatedly by its ancient 
name of Rajanavatika as a place largely inhabited by Brahmans. Their 
solemn fasts ( prciyopavesa ) gave no small trouble to King Sussala in his 
worst straights. 2 Raidvor lias continued to the present day a favourite 
place of residence for city Brahmans. 
100 . We have now completed our circuit of the ancient city as 
far as it lay on the right bank of the river 
and may proceed to the smaller and later por¬ 
tion which occupies the left bank. Just opposite to the ‘ Marisamgama’ 
stands the Shergarlii, the modern palace of the Dogra rulers. Its 
site was apparently first chosen by the Path an governors for their 
fortified residence. 
Immediately below the palace the Kut a kul or Ksiptika branches 
off from the river. We have already noticed its value as a line of 
defence for this part of the city. 3 The quarter of Kathiil which lies 
next between the Kut a kul and the river is of ancient date. It is men¬ 
tioned as Kasthila by Kalb ana and other writers, Bilhana speaking 
of it particularly as a locality inhabited by Brahmans. 4 * 
At the northern end of the Kathiil quarter and close to the pre¬ 
sent Second Bridge, we must assume the palace 
of the later Hindu kiugs to have stood. Its 
position is indicated by an interesting passage 
of the Rajatarangini which informs us that King Ananta (a. d. 
1028-63) abandoned the palace of the former dynasties and transferred 
the royal residence to the vicinity of the shrine of Sadasiva . 6 The 
new site was adhered to by subsequent kings probably till long after 
Kalhana’s time. The mention of the Sadasiva shrine and the fre- 
Site of Royal 
Palace. 
1 See S'nv. iv. 122, 243. 
2 See Jtajat. viii. 756, 768, 899. For the phonetic relation of Rani < Skr. 
Rajana, see viii. 756 note; vor is common in Ks. local names and derived from 
Skr. vdtikd ‘garden.’ 
3 See above, § 67. 
4 See Rajat. viii. 1169 note, and Vikram. xviii. 25. 
6 Compare Rdjat, viii. 186-187, and for detailed proof of the identification, the 
note thereon. 
