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388 THE KINGDOMS OF THE SOUTH ably means that Pulikesin was repulsed in an attempt to seize the Pallava capital, and was compelled to retire to his own territory. Hiuen Tsang, who visited Kanchi in the year 640 A. D., during the reign of Narasimha-varman I, and stayed there for a considerable time, calls the country PAVILION, LITTLE CONJEVARAM. of which Kanchi was the capital by the name of Dravida, and describes it as about a thousand miles in circuit. It corresponded, therefore, very closely with the traditional " Chola country r (CJiola-mandalam) between the Pennar and Southern Vellaru Rivers. The soil was fertile and regularly cultivated, producing abundance of grain, flowers, and fruits. The capital was a large city, five or six miles in circumference.