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GEOGRAPHICAL PLACES, PEOPLES AND TRIBES
is said to be situated on the southern Vijayardha mountains (15.20). A prince of this town was proposed as the bridegroom for Anjanasundari before her marriage with Pavanañjaya. Thus it was a place under the rule of Vidyadhara kings. There is one village Kanakavalli which belongs to Pangalanādu, a division of PaḍūvurKoṭṭam in Jayankonda-colamandalam1. Ancient Kanakagiri or Hemagrāma (Meleura) is said to be a famous place of pilgrimage for the Jainas in old days, situated in Camarajnagara district of Mysore2. But these places stand far away from the Vijayardha or the Vindhyas. Ancient Kañcanapura as the matropolis of Kalinga3 is identified with modern Bhuvaneshwar. It lies on the southern side of the Vindhya region as described in the PCV., hence our Kañcanapura can be taken as Bhuvaneshwar.
Gandharapura :-Gandhara is identified with a place
near
Broach. In ancient history it is known as a coastal port'. As it falls south of the Vindhyas hence it can be taken as the ancient Gandharapura.
Simhapura -It can be identified with Singupuram situated between Chicacole and Narasannapeta".
Ganga :-In the course of time Rama exiles Sītā. The General of Ram's army takes her in a chariot, traverses the forest, crosses the river Ganges (Janhavi 94.47) and abandons her in the Simhaninada forest i. e. a place, terrifying owing to the roar of lions therein (94.28). Ganga is the modern Ganges of the northern plains.
Pundarikapura -Vajrajangha, the king of Pondariyapura (94.103) or Pundariyapura (95.10) who happens to pass by that way on an expedition to capture elephants sees Sītā. He takes her to his city. and looks after her, as her brother. As the reference goes it should lie to the south of the Ganges. The GD (p.147) identifies one Panderupur or Pandharpur on the southern bank of the river Bhīmā in the district of Satara in Bombay province and states that Pandupura is a corruption of Pundarikapura. It was visited by Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiņi. But it seems to be very far from the situation mentioned in the PCV. Pargiter identifies the Pundra country
1. HGAI, p. 159.
2. JSI, p. 460.
3. LAI, p 293.
4. JSI, p. 475. & Gujarāts par Arabi Farasini Asar, Pt. I. pp. 128, 149 by Chotabhai Naik.
5. HGAI, p. 260; VGA, p. 71.
