Lost Mythological Cities of India

2010·6.3 MB·English

by  Varma, Urmila

Lost Mythological
Cities of India
Urmila Verma
I
»
I •
Lost Mythological
Cities of India
I
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2018 with funding from
Public.Resource.org
https://archive.org/details/lostmythologicalOOvarm
LOST MYTHOLOGICAL
CITIES OF INDIA
Urmila Verma
PUBLICATIONS DIVISION
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
B
2010, Saka 1931
3 ISBN : 978-81-230-1595-8
!• HIST-ENG-OP-031-2009-10
Price : Rs. 70.00
Published by Additional Director General (Incharge)
Publications Division Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of India, Soochna Bhavan, C.G.O. Complex
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003.
http://www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
Editor : Rajendra Bhatt, Maneesh Singhal
Cover design : R.K. Tandon
Sales Centres : • Delhi - Soochna Bhavan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi - 110003 • Hall No.196, Old Secretariat, Delhi - 110054
• Mumbai - 701, B - Wing, 7th Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Belapur, Navi
Mumbai - 400614 • Kolkata - 8, Esplanade East, Kolkata - 700069,
• Chennai - 'A' Wing, Rajaji Bhavan, Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600090
• Patna - Bihar State Co-operative Bank Building, Ashoka Rajpath, Patna
- 800004 • Thiruvananthapuram - Press Road, Near Govt.
Press,Thiruvananthapuram - 695001 • Lucknow - Hall No.l, 2nd Floor,
Kendriya Bhavan, Sector H, Aliganj, Lucknow - 226024
• Hyderabad - Block 4, 1st Floor, Gruhakalpa Cpmplex, M.G. Road,
Nampally, Hyderabad - 500001 • Bangalore - 1st Floor, 'F' Wing, Kendriya
Sadan, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560034 • Ahmedabad - Ambica Com¬
plex, 1st Floor, Palli, Ahmedabad - 380007 • Guwahati - House No.7,
New Colony, Cheni Kuthi, K.K.B. Road, Guwahati - 781003
Typeset at : AAR Reprographics, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi-110 024
Printed at : Personal Graphics & Advertiser Pvt. Ltd.
Contents
1. Kausambi. 1
2. Bhubneshwar. 13
3. Indraprastha.22
4. Nagarjunakonda.29
5. Kashi.35
6. Badri - Kedar.50
7. Mathura.59
8. Avantipur.68
9. Tirupati.74
5
10. Shri Shailam.80
11. Ayodhya 85
" -'■ :i
- sN: vr. si.}30 iv>?-«.„
?jTra}0'.T,>-' .-'•^ ’■ i*j’
tif
-*..
■'. <
... , I
T »*•
f I
'^rr • jT . p ajuf -
X
^ '^'^''' — * ■ ^ 1 •*> - ?»«•*«•«*«•• Mm M M t » • m 9 0m edi/CTifiiboI
'\
"-yCi: ;■
■. • . ?
► ••••>•■•»• •’W{ . t •-•••*■••■—t ..^ iTvii
1. - ^ViWJ 4
■iV .'r - I
► % «
*ml>3>f ^ iibca
P•”?*.• • * “4 ^0 ♦* • • •4%*- - ♦ - •« « «»4 # • • • • 1» t « * 4 ♦ • -•-•l- T« ♦ •! 4 |«4l « 4
'■*.1 - » .#'»■ iMlii uu« -*.ii COC CoTS^w.,^, irfcat. - Hoxii,
'.V
‘•k' , t >! 1
I'j
.*■?.; i 4j4. ' 'Mii..
'm>.
--^ V-^ 'l .. ^*111 . U
■% • * «r«-y4*W»>i4t4t»*»r44'< - 4^^ »%^»4r^rf4 «4t^«4.«««44*««* •■*#«•'J fc4 Jl % X.
■•va-.* -•■“^ ^.- k.-rt iinnb,
^ - T* . N*4/ OoV?
..ffiiifmil® hil8i ^‘i>l^
,'it^f^C'
|M I - A- V.;
19
& 4a« ^ ■ -4*^4 ‘'>• . M C- Ko^tl.
[ijfc..-? ^*-
&iV <r
, T. .
— -j-* : .' A^WsCiwh
4I»; 4?' . frrr* ■ r .v*»i*a'’ - u,atie k«.t.
i?
-• .,: ' ^ u
•-'P
.2r»
.-A
f
,;?^«i?;iji«. ^ u •■»• " 3W» r<<! f'J if-i
fWb 4^ ..
. -p
V (f
r': :i.. , , -.- %
A
Preface
This book is an endeavour to present the origin, history
and the development of those ancient Indian cities which have
not only been a witness to the divine drama but have also
progressively contributed to the evolution of Indian mind,
character, personality and thinking. Just as we cannot
understand the Greek without their myths, we cannot
understand India without her mythology. This book tries to
present the evocative and hallowed stories of the cities like
Kausambi, Indraprastha, Bhubaneshwar, Avantipur, Kashi,
Tirupati, Mathura and Ayodhya. Besides, legends related to
Badri-Kedar region and Shri Shailam Shrine have been added
in this work. These places, though may not be defined as cities,
nevertheless, possess the same aura and pulsating divinity
which have greatly influenced the Indian mind. Their
evocative serenity has been the tempting reason for their
inclusion in this book.
With the passage of time, the origin and true shape of the
cities have altered and their topography together got wrapped
up in the multiple layers of earth. To know the correct position,
it is essential to probe and research to find out when, where
and why these cities and surroundings originated. The outcome
of such a research, though time-consuming and demanding,
is immensely rewarding as well.
The list of such places is long because India has been a country
where highly evolved sages explored and discovered the cardinal
truth and basic purpose of human life. In the process of the highest
quest of life, the attributes of nature and the contribution of physical
surroundings significantly assumed an important place. The spot.
the area or the surroundings where a cardinal principle, a truth or
a law of nature was discovered, perceived and internalized,
spontaneously acquired a place of prominence and the cities were
founded and developed.
The places with such supreme purpose certainly need to
be remembered and preserved for posterity. The cardinal
principles symbolized by these places found expression in
our religious and mythological texts, as also in folk literature.
This evocative, sublime as well as pragmatic knowledge
makes us aware of the eternal cycle—the old yielding place
to the new.
We perceive cities and human habitations turning ancient
and some mingling in dust. While some of these, either wholly
or partly, maintain their identity, making it easier to explore
and locate. The old cities which got buried under the deep
folds of earth often have a distinctive feature as very often
new habitations crop up on the same ground.
Only change is eternal. The cities and kingdoms which
had once enjoyed glorious days are reduced to the state of
mere dusty villages and cry for identification and exploration.
That is the moment when the science of archaeology comes
to the rescue. Well-known archeologist Alfred Cunningham
conducted various excavations and contributed in a major way
in exploring many significant mythological sites and cities.
Out of the long list of such places in Indian mythology, only a
few have become totally extinct without having left any visible
trace behind. Most of such places have left permanent imprint on
the sands of time. Some of such lost sites were retrieved by
archaeologists. These mythological places vibrate with serene
beatitude and spiritually. The pure and peaceful surroundings lead