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SECTION 4. HOUSING AND ARCHITECTURE The Paumacariya furnishes a good deal of information about housing and architecture in ancient India. The persons who were engaged in various sorts of constructions are called Silpis (78.48; 10224) who erected houses, buildings and other architectural things. The word 'Silpi' is used in the general sense of an artisan also (sayam ca sippana uvaittam 3.114)². A Town Planning: There are scattered references to various constituents of a town. They can be arranged together systematically to have a general view of the planning of a town in ancient India. Thus the PGV reveals that a town was surrounded by a Payara³ - Prakara which was fitted with Gopuras, Daras = Dvaras, Toranas and Attalayas Attalakas. The Prakara was from the outside encircled by a Phaliha-Parikha. Inside the Prakara was situated the real town. There was the Avana'=Apana perhaps in the centre. The town was divided by Narindapaha³ = Narendrapatha, Ratthas-Rathyas and Magga Margas⁹. There were a number of Caccaras or Coukkas 10: Catvaras and Tiyas¹¹. Trikas. Big houses 12 were lined on both the sides of the roads. Then there were the Ceiyagharas¹³ = Caityagrhas and the Rayapura 14 = Rajapura. The town was well laid out with Aramas, Ujjana - Udyanas, Kananas Kananas 15 and Uvavanas 16 = Upavanas which abounded in Saras¹. Pukkharini¹8- Puskarinis full of lotuses¹ Vavisi 20 = Vapis and Dihiyas¹ Dirghikas. All these constituents and the surrounding fields (Vappina Vapra-2.12) gave a pleasant look to the town. = = 1. See Harsacarita eka Samskritika Adhyayana, p. 61. 3. 2.8; 6.211; 8.264; 33,77. 4. 62.33; 80.2. 5. 5.134. = 2. See also 6. 174. 6, 2.9. 7. 35.28; 80.61. 8. 76.8. 9. 115.7. 10, 2.13. 11. 66.9. 12. 3.157; 76.4. 13. 2.12; 8.267; 80.14. 14. 79.25. 15. 2.12. 16, 35.28. 17. 2.12. 18. 82.267; 80.14. 19. 5.56; 15.50. 20. 2.12. 21. 46.75; 80.14.

440 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM Parikha (2.9):-The city of Rajagrha is said to be surrounded by a moat. It was a trench dug round the rampart and filled with water to keep the town safe from any attack. :Prakara It is called Sala also (52.7). It was a wall or a rampart raised round the town for fortification (2.8). The ramparts of Lanka and Saketa are said to be having beautiful gold work done on them (jambunayakanagacittapayara 5.129, kancanaghanapayara 55.14 varakanagatungapayara 3 113). The walls of the rampart of Rajagrha are said to have cornices carved on their upper part (kavisisaya- Kapistrsaka 2.19). Rama's temporary settlement (Sannivesa 62.35) at Lanka on the occasion of Laksmana's being wounded by Ravana is said to be having seven ramparts one following the other (62.27). : Gopuradvara The Sannivesa of Rama had three Gopuras (62.27) and many doors. The Copura was the main gate or big entrance with a constructed house on it. The king of Dasapura is said to have observed the fight between Simhodara and Laksmana from such a Gopura (33. 115). The Nandavatanivesa of Rama at Ayodhya had one Gopura and many other small gates (bahudaram 80.2). The Gopuras' are referred to be facing four quarters while the dvaras were the side doors comparatively small in size. Some times Gopura and Dvara are synonymous (62.32-33). The main gates of the temporary Ramapuri are referred to as Dvaras, not Gopuras (35.35). A chief guard (Salarakkha 52.8) was stationed on the main gate and the door-keepers on the doors (Daravala 17.18). During the night and at times of emergency these gates were closed (17.18; 67.17; 86.38). Attacking armies used to break open the gates to enter and seize the city. Attalaka :-The referenee to it at 5.134 indicates that the rampart had watch towers of military posts attached to it. Durga -There is a reference to the Dugga of Dasapura (nayaram visamaduggapayaram 33.77). Durga means a fort. It might be a reference to a town fortified with rampart. There are various kinds of Durgas or forttfications such as hill fort, forest-fort, water-fort, clayfort, chariot-fort, divine-fort and mixed-fort". Apana: The Apana was the market place which remained busy with the activities of merchants coming from various places (2.10). Rathya and marga:-The town had well laid roads and streets. Rathyas or Racchas (67.24) were the roads on which the chariots could 1. The Jatakas reveal that the outer walls of the cities were pierced with four gates in their middle facing the four quarters -Vide India as Known to Panini P. 139. 2. See An Encylopaedia of Hindu Architecture, p. 5. 3. An Encylopaedia of Hindu Architecture, p. 5.

EDUCATION AND ARCHITECTURE 441 ply. The margas were the streets and lanes. There is a reference to perhaps the regular cleaning of the roads and streets of Lanka (13.5). or were Catvars and Trikas:-These were places where four and three roads streets intercepted respectively. Catvaras and Trikas generally teeming with various kinds of spectacles and performances relating to dance, music, song and acrobatics (2.13). Narendrapatha:-It is variously called as Rajamarga, (76.3), Narendramarga (16.38), Nrpatimarga (79.19). This was the main road of the town. It was the royal road which led from the main gate to the palace. It extended outside the city and connected other towns of the country. Houses and mansions could be seen lined on both the sides of the road. They were equipped with windows wherefrom house-wives peeped out to look at the occasional processions (8.276-282;70.19-25). Types of Buildings:-Ghara-Grha denoted the common house for residence (3 57). In the Paumacariya the terms Ghara, Bhavana and Pasaya are used indicriminately (23.17;77.23-25). Elsewhere it is explained that Bhavana belonged to kings and Prasada to gods. The former's height was less than its width while the latter's height was greater than its width. Bhavana is also called as a kind of rectangular building³ and Prasada as a religious or residential building or a royal palace. Attalaka was the apartment on the roof or an upper storeys. Thus the Paumacariya mentions that Ayodhya (80.1-14; 78.49), Dasapura (33.19), Kiskindhipura (6.45), Lanka (53.85), Mahendranagara (15.10), and Rajagrha (2-9) abounded in these types of buildings. Buildings of seven and eight storeys are mentioned. Dasapura abounded in white buildings of seven storeys (sattataladhavalesu ya pasayasaesu 33.19). Dasaratha's palace had seven storeys (sattatale bhavanap sae 23.17)6. A general reference to eight-storeyed buildings is made in the Paumacariya (102. 116). In Laika buildings having turrets or spires (surei Pavanaputto aneyapasayasiharaim 53.85) and having artistic designs carved on them have been referred to (attalayavivihacittatumgaim). The roof of the building was generally supported on raised walls. Besides that, pillars (colu 1 ns) were also constructed to support the 1. Sammajjovalit嫂a, kauna mahi imae nayarie/ Kusumehi acciyavva surahisugandhehi divvehim//. 2. Bhagavati-sutra, (Abhaya-5.7); 3. An Encylopaedia of Hindu Architecture, p. 380. 4. Ibid, p. 364. 5. Ibid, p. 12. 6. See 15.61. Abhidhanarajen dra-Kosa.

442 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM roof. The Paumacariya refers to a thousand-pillared mansion of Ravana (niyayabhavanam thambhasahassaulam tungam 8.282; 53.144; 77.25) and also a Jina-temple in Lanka (77.3). The materials of which the houses and buildings were constructed are not referred to. There are references to white buildings (sattataladhavalesu 33.19, dhavalaattalaya 2.9; 5.134) and to bulldings consisting of more than one storey. Therefore bricks, stones and mortar The works of Kalidasa refer to the use of must have been in use. stones, bricks, lime and even marble stones¹. The floors of the palace of Ravana are referred to be paved with gravel (kottimatala 68.5,23) and sometimes with saphires (Indanilakottimatalammi 68.7, 11) also. Its walls were beset with crystalline stones (Phalihamayavimalakudde 68.9) and saphires (mahanilamaekudde 68.14). It was equipped with stair cases which were paved with crystalline stones (Phalihamayammi sovane 68.12). The buildings of Rajagrha are also said to have floors beset with emerald and rubies (bhavananaccanesu maragayamanikkakiranakabburiyam 2.11) Windows; The houses were duly quipped with windows. They are referred to as Cumpalayas (26.80), Vatayanas (39.91) and Gavaksas (8. 280; 76. 4; 79. 20). These windows opened on the road or the garden attached to the building. House ladies observed the procession on the road from these windows. Vatayana was meant for letting in air and the sun. Gavaksa was of the shape of the eye of a cow, and the Jalagavaksa (32. 4) was the latticed window. - Rooms: The Paumacariya reveals that the houses were fitted with various 路 rooms. Anjana's Bhavana is said to have the following apartments in her building: Aggivaa Agrimaka 16. 64, Abbhintara-Abhyantara 16. 64, Kacchantara Kaksyantara 16. 70, Vasabhavana = Vasabhavana 17. 70, and Kacchantarammibie 16. 73. Here Aggivaa refers to the foremost room of the house where guests and visitors were received. Abhyantara means the inner part of the house, which was fitted with more than one rooms. Kaksyantara and Kaksyantaradvitiya refer to two separate rooms and Vasabhavana means a sleeping room or the drawing room. Courtyards Kaksya meant courtyard or the divisions of the palace also. Angada is said to have passed through three successive Kaksyas (Pavisanti giham 68.8; annam kacchantaramn 68.10; and again, annam kacchantaram 68. 14), to disturb Ravana who was meditating in a shrine inside the palace. Further Angada's slodiers are said to have waited at the outer part of the shrine (bahirakacchantare 68. 22). 1. See India in Kalidasa; (B.S. Upadhyaya) 1947, p. 248.

EDUCATION AND ARCHITECTURE 443 Kaksyas are explained to be the divisions of palace i. e. courtyards with chambers. The Valmiki Ramayana also refers to three Kaksyas of Rama's palace (Valmiki Ramayana, 2. 5. 5).1