Ancient Cities And Towns Of Rajasthan
Ref:
ANCIENT CITIES AND TOWNS OF RAJASTHAN
A STUDY OF CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
KAILASH CHAND JAIN, M. A.. Ph, D., D. litt., Hecipicnt of the highest Merit Pay awarded by the Govcrzuncnt of Rajasthan for research work. Reader, University School of Studies in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology,
Vikram University, Ujjain,
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
DELHI : : VARANASI : : PATNA
©MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
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First Edition 1972
Price Rs. 60,00
Printed in India.
BY SHANTiLAn JAXK, AT SHRI JAINBNDrA PRESS, BUNGALOW ROAD, JAWAHARNAGAR, DELHr-7 AND PUBLISHED BY SUNDARLAL jAiN POR MOTILAL BANARSIDASS, BUNGALOW RO AD, JAWAHARNAGAR, DELHr-7
Dedicated
to
The Sacred Memory
of
Late Pandit GhainsukhdasSi Principal,
Jain Sanskrit College, Jaipur
PREFACE
James Tod has rightly remarked, ‘‘There is not a
petty state in Rajasthan that has not had its Thermopylae,
and scarcely a city that has not produced its Leonidas’’. This
statement shows the great political and cultural importance
of tlie State of Rajasthan. The cities, which existed before
the thirteenth century A.D., have been incorporated in this
work. Our study confines to their religion, art, literature and
some other cultural aspects, and political history also finds a
place when some ne\\r light has been thrown on some particular
event.
Recently, a large number of works has been published on the growth and development of urban life in Europe and America. The works of Lewis Mumford, Robert E. Dickinson and Arthur Smailes are important as they throw light on the origin of the medieval and modern towns. Such an attempt was made also by some Indian scholars like G. C. Ghurye. Because of industrialization and technological advancement, the modem cities are concerned \vith the material aspect; but this was not the case with the ancient cities which were more important from the cultural point of view. For their study, generally, we are to depend upon archaeology and literature.
For writing this work, I have consulted a long range of scattered published material both archaeological and literary.
I have sifted and examined it witla a critical eye and have drawn new conclusions, not only because new facts have been dis- covered, but because new aspects too have come to light.
James Tod was the first historian who in his Personal Narratives at the end of his book ‘Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, published in 1815 A.D. describes the important archaeological sites which he visited. He also discussed tlie political history of the capital cities. Being a pioneer work, it is of great value; still it is full of inaccuracies and self- contradictions. This was but natural because he was writing at a time when the historical research had not made much advance. Besides, the material was scanty, and it was not
Vlll
thoroughly scrutinized, James Fergusson also in the History of
Indian Architecture described the artistic pieces of Chandra vati,
Jhalrapatan, Kholovi, Ajmer, and other cities and towns.
A. Cunningham and his assistant A.C. Carlleyle from 1864 A.D. onwards, toured mostly in Eastern Rajasthan. A. Cunningham toured Bairaf, Jhalrapatan, Dhamnar. A. C. Carlleyle visited Bayana, Machari, Bijaulia and explored the ancient city sites of Nagari and Nagara. H.B.W, Garrick (1887 A.D.) discovered the early medieval city of Nagaur. These scholars brought to light numerous monuments, mosques, rock-cut caves, forts, mounds strewn with large bricks, potsherds, thousands of coins and a number of inscriptions. All this material throws a good deal of light on ancient culture of cities. Sometimes, their account of some places is based on legends and therefore it requires scrutiny.
K. D. Erskine compiled the Rajputana District Gazet- teers of Ajmer, Merwara, Sirohi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, etc. These Gazetteers include the historical portion as well as the description of the archaeological sites but they have not been written in an authoritative way.
D.R. Bhandarkar (1908-11, 191547 A.D.), R.D. Banerji and V.S. Sukthankar (1916-21 A.D.) have given interesting account of the various monuments, sculptures and inscriptions of many places, D. R, Bhandarkar visited Sahehor, Bhinmal, Pali, Mandsor, Nana, Hathundi, Nadlai, Nadol, Sandera, Korta, Barmcr, Jalor, Bairat, Amber, Sanganer, Chatsu, Jinamata Haras, Sakrai, Phalodhi, Merta, Kckind. Bayana and Kaman were surveyed by R.D. Banerji. V.S. Sukhthankar was busy with exploring the places of Sirohi State such as Jirula and V arman. L.P . Tessitori in his work — Search on Bardic Chronicles in Bikaner and Jodhpur States, described some archaeological sites.
The archaeological excavations of the ancient historical city sites were first undertaken by D.R. Bhandarkar and Dayaram Sahani. In 1916 A. D., D.R. Bhandarkar excavated the famous historical site of Nagaur. J.H. Marshall and D.R. Sahani dug the site of Mandor in 1909-10 A.D. D.R. Sahani also first carried out excavations at Bairat, and later at Sambhar (1935-38 A.D.), both in former Jaipur State.
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K.N. Puri followed them and dug at Rairh.
To Aureil Stein (1942 A.D.) goes the credit of star- ting a systematic search of Proto-historic settlements along tlie dry bed of the Hakra of the Ghaggar which flows through the region of the former Bhawalpur and Bikaner States. This search begun in 1940 A.D. has since been continued by A. Ghosh (1951 A.D.) with great success. As a result of these explorations we know that the Indus ^Civilization once exten- ded up to North Rajasthan, and that at Kalibangan, there was flourishing the pre-Harappan civilization. Besides, excava- tions and explorations were conducted at several pre-historical sites such as Ahar, Gilund, Nohar by B.B. Lae, H.D. Sankaha, Satya Praicash and R.C. Agrawal. The Swedish Archaeologi- cal Expedition (1952-54 A.D.) under Hanna Rydh proved how the culture and civilization flourished from the Kushana period to the seventh century A.D. in the Rang Mahal area.
Inscriptions proved to be very helpful for this thesis in throwing light on the different aspects of urban life. They were edited from time to time by G. Buhler, J. F. Fleet, E. Hultzsch, Stenkonow, F. Kjelhorn, Hiranand Shastri, R.K. Haldar, D.R. Bhandarkar,R.D.Banerji,Akshayakirti, and V.V. Mirashi The credit for the discovery of a large num- ber of inscriptions also goes to G.H. Ojha. D.C. Sircar also edited some inscriptions and revised the old ones.
Shri JiNAVijAYA, Shri Punyavijaya, Agar Ghand Nahatta and Kastoor Ghand Kashliwal brought to light Prcdasth of the manuscripts which proved to be of great value for the cultural and political aspects of towns.
Besides, there is scattered material found in the modern history books specially written on the region of Rajasthan by Shyamal Das, G.H. Ojha, Dasharatha Sharma and M.L. Sharma. Dasharatha Sharma also published a number of research papers bearing on the history of Rajasthan, and they have been fully utilised.
Besides, in order to collect material for research, I visited various places where I discovered a large number of inscriptions and sculptures which range between the tenth and the eighteenth century A. D. I also came across towns like Maroth and Harsaur which were so far unknown to the
X
historians and archaeologists. I also studied several manuscripts
of the Jaina Manuscript libraries.
All this material from different sources has been thoroughly examined and utilised in this work. Though it is a maiden effort on the cultural aspect of history, I made it a point that prejudice should not find any place in it. At every step, the temptation to follow up its diverse ramifications has been resisted with a view to attaining lucidity and unity. I have given new interpretation to the well-established facts and at times, contradicted the leading historians.
This work has been divided into thirteen Chapters. In Chapter I, the different sources have been critically examined for the reconstruction of the history of cities. In Chapter II, the ancient names and boundaries of the territorial divisions of Rajasthan in different periods have been discussed.
In Chapter III, it has been considered how Urban - life through different stages gradually emerged. Chapter IV is related to the growth and development of urban life, and it has been pointed out what forces were at work in different periods. The establishment of so many urban centres and their maintenance in this arid region of Rajasthan is actually a striking feature.
Chapter V deals with the principles, which guided me in the selection of the towns. In Chapter VI, I have discussed the history and civilization of towns and cities selected on the foregoing principles. For the convenience of study, this chapter has been divided into three sections : — (1) Early towns, (from the earliest times to the fifth century A.D.) (2) Post-Gupta towns (sixth to the ninth century A.D.) and (3) Early Medieval towns ( tenth century ,to the thirteenth century A.D.) This division is not as scientific as we would like it to be, because the existence of some towns in particular period is not definitely known.
Chapter VII is devoted to the town planning of these cities. From their study, it seems that the process in the development of towns in different periods is a gradual one. In Chapter VIII, I have dealt with the administration of ancient towns and cities. When these towns gradually became multi-
XI
functional, the number of officers also considerably increased
for performing different duties.
In Chapter IX, social conditions have been dealt with. Actually these towns are socially integrated units, and we have described food, drinks, dresses, ornaments, recreations and amusements of the people who lived there in early times. Chapter X is related to economic conditions. Products, crafts and professions, commerce, coinage, weights and measures of these cities have been discussed. Chapter XI is concerned with the ancient town routes and it has been discussed how they worked as the agencies for the spread of civilization by linldng important towns and cities.
Chapter XII is concerned with the cultural role of ancient cities and to\vns, which became the seats of religion, art and literature. Even some castes, gotras and religious gachchhas were named after the towns. In the last Chapter XIII, I have dealt with the causes which led to the decay and disappearance of some of these ancient cities and towns.
This work is originally a thesis approved for the D. Litt. degree of the University of Rajasthan in 1963. Afterwards, a lot of new material had been brought to light and therefore, in order to make it uptodate, I had to revise it at the time* of publication.
I owe an immense debt to the late A.S. Altekar, at whose initiative and encouragement, I took up this subject for research. I also express my gratitude to Dasharatha Sharma whose constant guidance has greatly contributed to its early completion and who actually 'took great pains in going through this manuscript. To my examiners, D. C. Sircar, V. V. Mirashi and late V. S. Agrawal, I am indebted for their valuable suggestions. My thanks are also due to Agarghand Nahata who gave me useful advice on thi? work.
I also express my profound respects to late Chain Sukhadas, Principal, Jaina Sanskrit College, Jaipur, who awlays gave me inspiration for research work, T am grateful to my mother Kanw’’ARi bai who carefully looked after my health and comforts at the time of writing this work.
I am highly obliged to K. S. Rajora, Lecturer in
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Political Science, Govt. College, Ajmer ; to M. L. Jain, former Lecturer in English, Teachers Training, College, Ajmer; and D.S. Tatke, Professor of English, Madhava College, Ujjain, for going through the manuscript. My thanks are also due to Mohan Jhala who prepared maps for this work. I also thank my student S. M. Pahadia, Lecturer in English in the Engineering College, Ujjain, for going through the proofs and preparing the Index of the work. In conclusion, I am grateful to Messers Motilal Banarsidass for undertaking the publication of the work.
The system of transliteration adopted by me is the same as found in the Archaeological Reports. The author more than anybody else is conscious of many defects and blemishes, specially typograplaical, which have crept into the book. For these, he craves the indulgence of the reader.
Mohan Niwas,
Dewas Road, Ujjain, ,(M. P.) 15th Aug., 1972
KAILASH CHAND JAIN
Chapter II ANCIENT NAMES AND BOUNDARIES