365bet

Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain

by Chirantani Das | 143,447 words

This page relates “Position of Sarnath at the physical and cultural periphery of Varanasi� as it appears in the case study regarding the settlements in the Early Historic Ganga Plain made by Chirantani Das. The study examines this process in relation to Rajagriha and Varanasi (important nodal centres of the respective Mahajanapadas named Magadha and Kashi).

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 1 - Position of ٳ at the physical and cultural periphery of ṇaī

Within the same historical context of middle Ҳṅg plains of the early historic phase from 6th century BCE to 3rd century CE ٳ reveals another unique centre and satellite relation. The settlement types found in the Buddhist literature shows there were villages, towns, market towns, cities and large cities. Early Buddhism, primarily being a city-based culture mainly restricted its activities to Ś屹ī, Ჹṛh, , ṇaī, ś峾ī and Saketa–all large cities. These were the preferred locations because the early Buddhism successfully drew its patronage and support from the urban population by large and the traders and even kings. We see them freely donating them towards the Buddhist order.

It is worthwhile to note that the location of the monasteries described in the Buddhist texts in most cases were found in exact locations. The famous Jetavana monastery at ś峾ī was built by the famous banker Anāthapinḍaka, the Ghositarāma monastery, located within the city limits of ś峾ī, the Jīvaka’s monastery at the limits of Ჹṛh, at ղśī the gift of a mango grove by Ᾱmrapālī make it prominent that everywhere these sites are located Buddhist site was located in the periphery of ṇaī at ٳ. In a Buddhist site, three necessary components are a ū貹, a caitya or congregation hall and a or the monastery for residential purposes. Inside the ū貹there should be the corporeal remains of the Buddha.[1]

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Dilip K. Chakrabarti, The Buddhist Sites Across South Asia As Influenced by Political and Economic Forces, World Archaeology, Vol.27, No.2, Buddhist Archaeology, October, 1995, pp.185-202.

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: