Re: [tied] Re: Kandahar - city name

I also thought Kandahar < Alexandria Arachosiana. These cities seem to be in
the same place, near the confluence of Hilmend River and another one.

----- Original Message -----
From: <naga_ganesan@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 10:42 AM
Subject: [tied] Re: Kandahar - city name


>
> >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
>
>
>
>
>
>
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