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Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain

by Chirantani Das | 143,447 words

This page relates “Important trade routes 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 3 - Important trade routes of ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«

The same was true about the °­Äåśī-³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« zone. ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« too in the ancient times was the focal centre of the whole cultural zone as in modern times. It was too connected to a number of important routes and played a vital role as an important point and mediator of the route and in a way is profited by this large scale long distance trade.

Important routes touching ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« were

  1. From ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ to Lumbini,
  2. ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Sasaram,
  3. ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to the Vindhyan scarp i.e. from ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå valley to the Deccan,
  4. ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Surguja through Robertsganj,
  5. route from Deccan passing through Surguja, ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« and reaching Ayodhya and beyond.

In this region we notice numerous sites belonging to different time categories. Some even had Neolithic or Mesolithic beginnings. Settlements grew in number and size in the successive periods while some even had a consistent occupation from earliest to historic times. There were many BRW/ BSW/ NBPW sites covering the whole region. Loriya-ka-tila, Basantpura, Karnai, Bhunadih, Ekail, Pakka Kot, Tika Deori, Waina, Khairadih, Nahush-ka-tila, Masaon-dih, Bairant, Bhuili, Nal-ka-tila were a few to mention. Among them Pakka Kot, Khairadih, Nahush-ka-tila, Masaon-dih and Bairant were fortified sites and some other sites like Loriya-ka-tila, Tika Deori, Waina, Raja-Bhar-ka-tila were given an urban status for their comparative bigger sizes. Bairant is located at only 20 km distance to the south-east of ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« on the other side of the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå, along a dried up river channel. Size wise it is almost equal to ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«. In this Bairant sector there is a concentration of sites, suggesting a population density. So Bairant had the potential to grow as an urban centre but was shadowed by ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« which held the supreme position in this whole area. Sites like Bairant rather served ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« in various ways, particularly those along the rivers as important points in the trade routes connecting ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to other places. Johuragunj and Prahladpur are two such settlements on the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå. Tikadeori and Lakhnesardih were sites on Chhoti Sarayu and Pakka Kot was another ferry point.

The ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹-Lumbini route emanating from ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ touched many points on the way and ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« surely played a very important role in this trade. After ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ the next halt must had been Masarh. Its importance may be gleaned from the presence of an AÅ›okan pillar. Little before Buxar there is a major ferry point and in all probability Pakka Kot seemed to be this point. In this zone Tika Deori and Lakhnesardih were supporting sites of Pakkakot. Hence this portion seems to be very important. After crossing Ghagra, Khairadih is another important station of the route. Ayodhya, Sohgaura, Kopia and finally Bansi near Lumbini with an AÅ›okan pillar complete the route. In this route other than important independent cities like ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹, Ayodhya and Lumbini other points were medium to large sites with limited urban traits. They held a subordinate position to ±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ or ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«. The route connecting ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Sasaram largely came into use in the Maurya times because AÅ›okan edicts were found at Sasaram and Ahraura. From ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«, Ahraura can be reached very easily. The Sasaram-Ahraura alignment is very important because it directly links ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Karmanasa and beyond.

Bypassing ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« one can also reach Central India and Deccan through this Sasaram-Ahraura alignment. This constitutes a very important juncture in the north and south bound traffic. Moreover in this alignment there is a concentration of BRW sites. It is an extension of the site Senuwar area along the alignment. Next is the route running from ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Malwa and then the Deccan. The area around Mirzapur is a main crossing in this route. Both ancient and modern routes were the same up to Lalgunj. The old route passed through Halia on the Adwa nala bank. Here small villages served as halts for the merchants who travelled along this route. Robertsgunj may be approached very easily from Lalgunj. From this sector a number of smaller and minor routes toward the Son valley come out. Therefore this segment no doubt formed a very important satellite zone for ancient ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« for serving as a junction and halting place for long distance trade. Routes towards the Son Valley are connected to the main route by ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« and Surguja and beyond via Ahraura and Robertsgunj. Even presently Ahraura Road railway is located on the Ahraura-Banaras road.

In ancient times ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« used to be the destination and final stop of this trade. The Robertsganj area is irrigated by two rivers the Belan flows through it and the Karmanasa flows in its eastern side which also marks the boundary between Magadha and °­Äåśī. Therefore this area is a fertile plain serving as an agricultural hinterland for ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«. Perhaps for this reason a large number of BRW and later sites sprang up in this region. Robertsganj may also be approached by Chakia, to the east of Ahraura. Nal-ka-tila, one such BRW site is located on Chakia side. It provided a shortcut to the Son valley and Surguja from Sasaram and bypassed the Ahraura line. It is notable that location of a BRW layer and growth of settlement cluster served ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« -Mirzapur sector in different ways and connected this sector to different places of Magadha and even provided an easy access beyond the Vindhyas and the Deccan. In this sense Robertsganj area served both ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« and ¸éÄåÂá²¹²µá¹›h²¹-±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ as satellite settlement under them. In case of the Deccan route from ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Surguja, the broad alignment of crossing of the route from ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« to Surguja is located near the Malaviya bridge over the river. Between Ramnagar and Mirzapur the last traces of the Vindhya-Kaimur ranges may be seen at Chunar and Vindhyachal. In this sequence of hills between Ramnagar and Mirzapur a number of routes took turn towards Surguja and the Deccan. The most important ones were the one Ramnagar to Surguja and the other Mirzapur to Rewa. Even in the first branch there are some deviations.

All in all, in the Ramnagar-Mirzapur sector an elaborate network of trade routes arose. This sector acted as the first recipient of the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå valley to receive huge traffic from Central India and the Deccan. ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« was the central node in this traffic. And it actually bestowed ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« a virtual monopoly over the Central Indian and Deccan trade. Secondly, ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« had an absolute mastery over the vast upland hinterland rich in agricultural and forest produce of Central India. Mirzapur area was the link between The Deccan and northern cities like Ayodhya, or Lumbini. It means ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« even managed the routes reaching other important, contemporary northern cities. It is also notable that ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« had an overarching authority over a vast region by way of its trade network maintained through these sites. All these surely placed ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« in an advantageous position. Thus can be demonstrated Erdosy’s basic argument that city’s contribution in the cultural evolution and the change of its nature through the participation should be taken into account which is so far been neglected.[1] His view may be substantiated by ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õī’s role and relation in respect to its locality or for that matter by ¸éÄåÂá²¹²µá¹›h²¹-±ÊÄåá¹­a±ô¾±±è³Ü³Ù°ù²¹ belt. Therefore in our present context both urban zones held an advantageous position to be connected to far-flung regions via these trade routes and thereby had a monopoly over a brisk trade.

In both select zones trade was a dominant factor that surely contributed in the development of nodal points. Being the capital city or enjoying a convenient location or having both these sites were often the terminal point of the trade routes. Many small to medium sites, halting places grew along the routes and formed a culture zone. Thus growing as nodal points actually meant assuming a much bigger role of which urbanism was an important part. Growing as a nodal point was certainly of great help to both ¸éÄåÂá²¹²µá¹›h²¹ and ³ÕÄå°ù²¹á¹‡a²õÄ« to grow as prime urban centres.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Erdosy, op.cit. p.83.

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