Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/99

Rh Cunningham’s reports also furnish a condensed mass of accurate and valuable information.

Among the various writers on Bihár, it is remarkable that no one has noticed its ancient name of Dandpur. Tradition states that before the Muhammadan invasion Bihár used to be called Bihár Dandi or Dand Bihár, an obvious contraction or Dandpur Bihár. If now we remember that Bihár is not a proper name, but means merely a monastery, being only the corrupted form of "Vihâra," it will be clear that the proper name of the town was Dandpura, and tradition has even preserved the memory of the origin of this name, explaining it by asserting that it was called Dandpur from the great collection of dandis (religions mendicants) who made this their head-quarters.

It is therefore clear that previous to, and at the time of, the Muhammadan invasion, Bihár was really named Dandpur, and being at the same time the seat of a well-known monastery, it naturally was known as Dand Bihár; and tradition further states that when the Muhammadans conquered the place, the Governor caused by proclamation the name of Dand Bihár to be changed into Subah Bihár, the name current at this day.

I must now mention that the ancient name of Silao was Vikramasila, and I will subsequently show why.

These being premised, we now turn to Târanâth's Tibet, where we learn that the monasteries of Otantapura and Vikramasila were burned down. The mention of these two places together shows that the two were close to each other.

Now, I must allude to the inscription which mentions Udandapura Desa, showing that the name Udandapura or Otantapura or Dandpura was not only the name of a city, but of a district. (Rep., III, 118.)

The place, therefore, which imposed its name on a district, or vice versâ, must have boon the chief city of that district. Further, we know that the place was near Nalanda. (Reports, III, 129.)

General Cunningham has hazarded the conjecture that the name Udandapura may refer to Bishanpur Tandwa, but Bishanpur Tandwa never was a place of the importance thus implied, and General Cunningham was evidently unaware of the tradition which makes the ancient name of Bihár Dandpur Bihár.

From the whole of the above but one conclusion can be drawn, that Bihár was anciently named Udandapura.