Hastinapura and Kurukshetra -

[Dipak Bhattacharya]

Dear Dr Taylor, 
Thanks for raising the question which troubled me long. I found common men, farmers, porters, street side hawkers and everybody in these two places distinctly pronouncing kurukshetra and hastināpurā. 
I shall give two evidences that at least the name Hastināpurā is not a modern convention.
Hastinapura is referred to more in the Jaina literature than in the Purāṇas. Just consult the Abhidhānarājendra under the same entry. Now this place was re-occupied in the 11th century (4th settlement); the settlement has yielded various Jaina icons. For this see Lal’s 1954-55 report in Ancient India 10-11.
This makes it sure that the name of this very place persisted in Jaina tradition till at least the 13th century. 
There is no evidence to prove that the name was current among officers of the Delhi Sultanate  in the 14th century. But it will not be reasonable to think that it disappeared subsequently. Culturally the higher officers at the Delhi Sultanate were almost alien. At least they knew little of Indian or local tradition. There is positive evidence for the continuity of the tradition; please see Asiatic Researches XIV under Wilford.
I am speaking from some knowledge gathered in 2003. I have no notes at present with me except a monograph on Hastnāpurā (published 2004) prepared by me in the same year. But it does not deal with the question as raised by you. I wrote under good faith from the evidences mentioned  above that the name had persisted in local tradition. 
Since I do not have the said volume of the Asiatic Researches with me or in the University Library here, kindly let me know the result? If you cannot, kindly inform me I shall let you know sometime in the coming months or any other colleague may do that before me.
Best wishes
DB 


--- On Tue, 29/6/10, McComas Taylor <McComas.Taylor at ANU.EDU.AU> wrote:


From: McComas Taylor <McComas.Taylor at ANU.EDU.AU>
Subject: [INDOLOGY] Hastinapura and Kurukshetra -
To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
Date: Tuesday, 29 June, 2010, 9:50 AM


Dear Colleagues

How long has the town in UP been known as Hastinapura?

What about Kurushetra in Haryana?

Is there any documentary evidence to suggest that these names were applied to these locations in pre-modern times? 

Looking forward the hearing back

McComas