The term Gandhāra: A Narration

Abstract

This study focuses on elucidating the historical ambiguity surrounding Gandhāra, originally identified as the Peshawar valley by Chinese explorers and classical writers in the early nineteenth century. Despite the ongoing debate on whether it constitutes a distinct kingdom and the precise delineation of its boundaries, this paper temporarily sets aside these questions to delve into the origins of the name itself. The term "Gandhāra" first surfaces in the Rigveda, a Vedic literature from the second millennium B.C. However, it's noteworthy that the Rigveda doesn't explicitly portray Gandhāra as a distinct geographical entity, nor does it disclose its precise location. In subsequent literature, when the Aryan civilization shifted east of the Punjab, the Gandharis are portrayed as a marginalized group in the country of the Five Rivers. The last historical mention of Gandhāra appears in Rashīd ad-Dīn’s jāmi at- Tawārīkh, a collection of histories completed in A.D. 1310. Gandhāra, alternatively known as Qandhar/Qandahara, is a composite term formed by "Qand" and "hara," where Kandhār, Qandahār, and Gandhāra all signify "lake-land." This designation aptly captures and accurately describes the picturesque and verdant valley of Peshāwar.