Ancient Cities of India

Book Review

Going back to the historical roots of mythological places can be a fascinating exercise for lovers of both mythology and history. Sayan Bhattacharya has done an eminent job in his e-book, Ancient Cities of India, bringing us both the history and mythology of some of the prominent cities mentioned in our great epics.

   The book begins with the disclaimer that it is not “a wholly authenticated version of mythology and history as it is merely a compilation of information from various sources and re-telling of historical events…” It is not possible for anyone to provide “wholly authenticated” history of the places that existed a few thousand years ago. One has to work with whatever archaeological evidences available and historical references made by later travellers and writers.

   Bhattacharya brings alive the ancient cities as they existed during the times of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. He narrates how the names of many of these cities underwent evolution as time passed. For example, the name of Lahore is traced back to Lav, son of Lord Rama. “By the end of his reign, Lord Rama and his family were credited with establishing many cities and towns as they kept visiting various parts of their kingdom,” says the book. “One such city was Lavpur, in the basin of the Jhelum River, credited to Lav, son of Lord Rama, as the founder. Lavpur grew in its settlements with Brahmins comprising the majority of its population. There was a temple erected and devoted to Lav in the city, which stands even today empty inside the Lahore fort as the Lav temple.”

   The author then goes on to show how the later Rajput settlers pronounced Lav as Loh and the city came to be called Lohkot, kot referring to the fort built by the settlers. Later settlers during the Vedic period changed the name to Lohawar, awar being the corrupted form of the Sanskrit word for fort (awarna).

  Bhattacharya has taken much care to bring available historical evidences wherever required. Though Krishna’s Dwaraka was submerged by the ocean, the ruins of the city found in the Bay of Cambay may be the ancient Dwaraka, according to Indian archaeologist S S Rao.

   Quite many of the ancient cities described in the book were eventually marauded by Muslim invaders. Many of them are not even in India today. Bhattacharya’s book presents cities which are now in Pakistan and Afghanistan, regions which fall in the Great Indian subcontinent that the Hindutva adherents long to reclaim. The disclaimer at the beginning of the book states that “Neither the author nor this work (eBook and the original blog-posts on the subject) does in any way intend to hurt, damage or counter any religious, patriotic or nationalist beliefs and sentiments of any of its readers or the public at large.” The tone of the book does not in any way contradict the disclaimer. But the present day revanchists in the country may find enough fuel in the book if they wish to.

   The book can be good reference material for those who genuinely wish to know the history of the cities mentioned in India’s great epics. It can also teach us why it is not a good idea to maraud cities that mark a particular civilisation. Cities belong to history and those who wish to create a new history should rather create new cities than demolish existing ones especially in times when demolitions will be recorded for posterities.

   Towards the end of the book, the author devotes one chapter to the Chinese traveller Xuanzang (Hieuen Tsang) who was impressed by the magnanimity of the contemporary Indian King Harsha towards all religions and people. “History does not present another example of a king who gave away his wealth so freely to the believers and the needy, as did this king…” Bhattacharya quotes Xuanzang. Maybe our present day leaders can draw a lesson from the ancient Harsha.

The book is available for free download here.