Uddiyana and Sihore

Summary

This brief note revisits the identification of two ancient toponyms, Uddiyana and Sihore, mentioned in Buddhist and Jain texts. Uddiyana, often located in the Swat valley of present‑day Pakistan, is described in Chinese pilgrim accounts as a flourishing centre of Gandhara Buddhism. The author reviews archaeological evidence and numismatic finds to confirm this identification, while also entertaining alternative proposals that place Uddiyana in Central India based on similarities in place names. He argues that although the name appears in multiple regions, the literary descriptions of its monasteries, images and riverine landscape fit the Swat location more closely. The second part of the note addresses Sihore (Sihor). Inscriptions from the Maitraka period mention a place called Sihor in Kathiawar (modern Gujarat). Scholars have debated whether this Sihor is identical to the ancient city visited by Chinese pilgrims under the name ‘Sī-p’o-ho-to’. The author compares the geographical features and concludes that the Sihore of the inscriptions is not the same as the pilgrim’s Sīp’o, which was likely Shihor near Ujjain. The note cautions against assuming equivalence of names without corroborating evidence. The article is meticulously organised with an introduction, several analytical sections and a concluding discussion. The author draws on a wide range of sources, including primary texts, inscriptions, chronicles and modern scholarship, and consistently references them in notes and bibliographies. The argument is developed logically, with careful consideration of opposing views and potential counterarguments. Technical terms are explained for the benefit of readers unfamiliar with the subject. Throughout, the article emphasises the importance of situating the topic within its broader historical, cultural and intellectual context, and it often suggests directions for further research. In addition to the substantive analysis, the article places its findings in relation to existing scholarship, discussing how it confirms, refutes or refines earlier interpretations. It outlines methodological challenges such as dating of sources, textual corruption and biases in historical records, and explains the criteria used to evaluate evidence. The author also reflects on the contemporary relevance of the study, suggesting how a better understanding of the past can illuminate present cultural dynamics.