Konkan and Aparanta: An enigmatic connection

GOA: “Having enjoyed the satisfaction of his wish, the mountains Malaya and Dardura, with sandal trees covering their skirts, as if they were the breasts of the quarter, with sandal paste applied to their sides, he, of irresistible prowess, crossed, the Sahya mountain, far left off by the sea, the rump of the earth, as it were, with its vesture slipped off.On account of his forces marching along, prepared to conquer the Aparanta, the sea, though far removed by the missile of Parasurama, seemed to be connected with the mountain Sahya. The dust raised by the army was placed by him, as a substitute for the hair-powder, on the curls of the Kerala ladies who had given up personal decorations in terror.” (Kale, 1922: The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa, 30)
Thus writes Kalidasa in Raghuvamsa, which describes Raghu’s conquests (dig-vijaya) as he moves from east to south to north-west.
Many historians have made this passage from Raghuvamsa the basis of their views on the relationship between Konkan and Aparanta.
The reference to Sahyadri mountains, Parasurama’s arrow and Kerala seems to be sufficient evidence of Aparanta being more or less synonymous with Konkan, till we realize that Kalidasa’s Aparanta may not be the name of a place at all. It may simply be an indication of a direction – ‘in the west’.
In fact, that is how both the English translators of Raghuvamsa interpret the term. Kale translates Aparanta as ‘countries of the west’. That would most probably include the coastal Konkan. In the notes, Kale gives the meaning of Aparanta as ‘the other side i.e. the west’. But he quotes Vallabhadeva, an earlier commentator on Raghuvamsa, to equate Aparanta with Konkana, and then proceeds to describe Konkana as ‘the strip of land between Sahya mountains and the sea, particularly the portion lying between Daman on the north and Goa on the south’.
In another translation of Raghuvamsa, the word Aparanta has been translated as ‘western king’: “Fine powdered sandalwood, which women of Kerala wore, with dust raised by his army soon the king replaced. Unforced the yellow seed of ketakas, which river-breezes waft from Murala, was scented powder for his mail-clad host. Through forests sighed the wind: their harness clanked on swiftly-moving steeds, that overpowered areca-trees deep rustling, while black bees dropped from Punnagas on the streaming brows of elephants love maddened, tied to trunks of smooth date-bearing palms. The sea, men tell, at Jamadagni’s bidding ceased to flow, but through the western king its tribute gave to Raghu.” (Free translation in poetic meter) (Johnstone, 1902: Raghuvamsa - The Story of Raghu’s Line, 33)
The enigmatic connection between Konkan and Aparanta has challenged historians as well as common Konkanis for ages. Was the larger region Aparanta, of which Konkan was a part? Or was it the other way round ? Or where both congruent? Or, were they not related at all?
Historical references tend only to add to the mystery rather than resolving it. References to Sapta Konkan, Sunaparant and Parasuramaksetra, with contradictions about their boundaries, make the matter even more fluid.
According to Patel, the whole of the west coast of India was called Aparanta in the ancient days. The nomenclature Aparanta came to be replaced by the term Konkana in the post-Mauryan period and applied to the same area and it was synonymous with Parasuramaksetra or Sapta Konkana.
As human activity gained momentum, various parts of Aparanta adopted different names, and came to be distinctly known thereafter by those names, ultimately relegating its original title into oblivion. (Patel, 1981: Historical Geography of South Konkana, 265)
Kane equates Aparanta with Konkana far more assertively: “That Aparanta usually means Konkana admits of little doubt.” ( Kane, 1917: Ancient Geography and Civilisation of Maharashtra, 629) Fleet reads Aparanta to mean “the western ends” and identifies it with the territory comprised of northern Gujarat, Kathiawar, Kachchh, and Sind. (Fleet, 1910: Mahishamandala and Mahishmati, 427) Pingree, too, locates Aparanta in Gujarat. (Pingree, 1971: Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit, 94)
R G Bhandarkar does accept that Aparanta means “western end”, but interprets it as “west coast”. He observes: “Aparanta must be the western coast below the Sahyadri, for Kalidasa mentions (Raghu IV, 52, 53, 58) that Raghu having crossed the Sahya to conquer that country by means of his immense army made the sea to appear as if it touched the Sahya mountain.” (1874: Transactions of the Second Session of Orientalists, 313).
Following him Bhagwan Indraji concludes that Aparanta corresponds to “modern Konkana, the district extending from Gokarna in the Karwar collectorate to the Daman Ganga, the frontier river of Gujarat or perhaps even further north to the Tapti.” (Indian Antiquary, vol VII, 259)
The puzzle remains unsolved.
(The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own. The writer is currently engaged in the research of the Konkani language)