________________ Some Reflections on the Gaps in Vaisali's History that Kaniska was for some time ruling over southern Bihar. His Viceroy Kharapallana, who is known to be governing at Banaras in 81 A.D., probably supervised the administration of Bihar as well. Or our excavations may reveal the existence of another Kusana viceroyalty either at Pataliputra or at Vaisali. EXPULSION OF KUSANA The Licchavis of Vaibali must have taken a leading part in expelling the Kusanas soon after the death of Kaniska, as did the other republics of India in the north-west. If no coins of Huviska are found in Vaisali ruins, we may presume that the Licchavis regained their independence during his reign. It, however, appears that local Kusana or Saka chiefs continued to rule at Pasaliputra longer than at Vaigali. Excavations will probably show that the Licchavi republic continued to flourish from c. 150 to 320 A.D. It is quite likely that it may have issued its own coins as did the other contemporary republics. I would not be surprised if new discoveries show that the reverse legend Licchavayah on the coins of Candragupta I, was borrowed or adapted from earlier coipage of the Licchavis : The excavator's spade ought to find these coins. It will also be able to throw a lot of welcome light upon the history of Vaigali in the Gupta period. We all know that Samudragupta was born of the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi but how much pleased we shall feel if the excavations reveal to us who was the father of Kumaradevi, and what precise position be occupied in the Licchavi administration. I am aware that I have so far indulged in a number of speculations about the history of Vaigali in its different periods. This is not a safe procedure. But unless it is adopted, we cannot frame the problems, which explorations and excavations are expected to solve. I presume that many of my conjectures will be confirmed by fresh discoveries, though some may be disproved by them.. IDENTIFICATION OF SITES One of the aims of the explorations and excavations near about Vaisali should be the identification of the places and Stupas mentioned by Fa Hien and Yuan Chwang. This work is not really so difficult as one may think at the outset. There can be hardly any doubt that the royal city or fort mentioned by Yuan Chwang must be Raja Visala-ka-Gadba; its dimensions tally with those given by the Chinese pilgrim and excavations bave shown that it continued to be in occupation from c 150 B. C. to the 5th century A. D. The Vihara or Sangharama in which Yuan Chwang
