>I thought it was an ancient Alexandria or Alexandropolis (cf.
>Iskander); or has this identification been disproven ?
>I have also seen it derived from Gondophares.
>Lance Cousins
The identification that Kandahar as corruption from
Alexandropolis, has no evidence to support that claim.
James C. Harle, The art and architecture of the Indian
subcontinent, Penguin, 1986, p. 22
"In 326 B.C., Alexander of Macedon marched into India
and penetrated to the Beas river in the Panjab, the furthest
reach of the greatest feat of arms in recorded history [13]
... Ashoka's edicts, engraved on pillars, rock surfaces, and
tablets, have been found in almost every region of India
except the far south, and as far west as Kandahar (often erroneously
claimed to be a corruption of Alexandria in Arachosia)
in present-day Afghanistan. [14].
[13] No trace of Alexander can be found in non-Muslim
Indian history, literature, or art, with one possible
exception: two or three figures or heads of the KuSANa
period at Mathura wear ram's horns, and Alexander
is often so portrayed, having been hailed by the Egyptian
priests as an incarnation of the god Ammon, who wore
them.
[14] The name Kandahar is derived from GAndhAra, a nearby
region (see p. 71). It first appears in a Persian
manuscript of the thirteenth century."
Please note that the ram-headed deity in India need
not represent Egyptian god Ammon or thru' Egypt's
Ammon, the Greek Alexander in Mathura sculptures.
Ram or goat headed deities are common in India:
Indus velley era has sculptures of ram-head
clay masks (frontal and side views in A. Parpola,
Deciphering the Indus sctript, p. 235). Jaina deity protecting
children (Parpola, p. 238, "Fig. 13.17 The goat-headed fertility god
NaigameSa is illustrated more than a dozen times in the early
Jaina art of Mathura ... 'Lord NemeSa' (bhagavA nemeso), called so
in the inscription beneath the deity, is shown enthroned and
flanked by a child and female attendants." There are deities
and composite animals wearing ram, markhor goat horns in Indus
seals. Skanda-Murugan's important vAhanam is a ram in old Tamil
literature, and in Tamil Nadu temples. Skanda who mounts the goat
is a god of fertility, bringer and remover of diseases to children
etc. in Indian texts.
While connection to Alexander or kand 'wall' for the
city name Kandahar is dubious, consider Skanda-Kartikeya,
the youthful god of war and wisdom (jnAnapaNDita). The
original connection of Kandahar with Skanda is possibly
indicated by the myth taking Iskander/Alexander as an
avatAr of Skanda-Kartikeya-Murukan. Great warriors
have been said to be Skanda's avatArs in India. For example,
jnAnasambandhar who in debates vanquished Jains
leading to their impalement on stakes is said
to be Murukan's avatAr in medieval tamil literature.
For Skanda & KandahAr
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/INDOLOGY/message/1622
Kandahar name appears in records only from 13th century.
Any explanations of how kandahar can be derived
from gAndhAra? Also, kandahar is not in gAndhAra region
either.
Regards,
N. Ganesan