India within the river Ganges is bounded on the west by Paropanisadai and Arakhosia and Gedrosia along their eastern sides; on the north by Mt Imaos along the Sogdiaioi and the Sakai lying above it ; on the east by the river Ganges ; and on the south and again on the west by a portion of the Indian ocean . The circuit of the coast of this ocean is described with Syrastrene which was on the Gulf of Kanthi; it was a roadside harbour, the Periplus says.

Scholars of the Geography of Ptolemy finds Barake of the Periplus as same as Gulf of Kanthi of Ptolemy, and they identify this place in modern Gujarat. But also agree that Barake is name of an island in this Gulf. If we read the works of these scholars, one will feel that they are either ignorant on this Gulf of Kanthi or have knowingly avoided this Gulf not to put whole of their narratives on Geography into confusion only for the names of Syrastrene and Kanthi.

Sri-kantha  is called Shechem or She-chem in the Bible which played a very prominent role in biblical events : its festivals of covenant were held according to the ‘use’ of this place.  Joshua, an Ephraimite,  formed the 12-tribe league at this place. Both Shechem and Hebron were considered as ‘cities of asylum’ and it was under the Levitical priests. In Jgs 9:46, the God of Shechem is called ‘El-berith;  and the citizens at that time were called men of Hemor ,i.e  ‘the morrites’. Hebrew seken means ‘neck’ or ‘kantha’ which identifies neck-position(not ‘shoulder’ as scholars think it to be) of this place with respect to the ‘junction of the seas’.

Shechem was on the southern border of Manasseh; Beth-millow,  Migdol, Mt Ebal, Mt Gerizim, Kings’ palace, Baal-berith, and its sacred tree, were so vital to the life of the people of the ancient world that it was connected to all places. Anciently, all caravans passed through the crossroads of Shechem only. The salty nature of its land marks its position at the seacoast of the Salt Sea or the Great Sea. Peithon or Pirathon was to the south-west of Shechem in the ‘mountains’ of ‘Ephraim’. Amalekites were inhabitants of this region also.

Scholars of the Ptolemy’s Geography see Barake of the Periplus with Gulf of Kanthi, and failed to identify Syrastrene of the Periplus with Gulf of Kanthi. Similarly, mention Surashtra as Syrastrene. The Periplus says, ‘Beyond the Gulf of Baraka is that of Barygaza and the coast of the country of Ariaka which is the beginning of the kingdom of Nambanus and of all India. This part of it lying inland and adjoining Skythia called Abiria, but the coast is called Syrastrene’.

Barake of the Periplus also refers to Barak of the Song of Deborah who hailed from this Barake and met Deborah at Jericho.