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like Hadapesvara developed, centering round a temple, which attracted
pilgrims, ultimately giving rise to shop, rest houses and other amenities.47
This type of example, (in Indian prospective) normally inspired
the scholar like Kosambi to summerised the matter in the following
word that one of the basic character of the medieval temple building
activities was that they were usually constructed at the focal centres
of the country's political power and thus reflecting on one hand
courtly ambition and on the other, the popular cult basis of medieval
Hinduism.48
The king and his subordinates always found it
politically expedient in promoting the temple as well as monastic
organization because the religious sub-ordination of the masses helped
the rulers to perpetuate their political authority.49 Thus, the possibility
of the emergence of a pilgrim centre as a seat of political or as a
seat of commercial enterprises is always there. In case of ancient
Assam, however there are very few and ambiguous references to
the existence of pilgrim and commercial towns. 51 Accordingly, it is
only in the Gachtal inscription of Gopalvarman where we have
found the reference of a holy city (punyapuri), named as
Hadapyaka.52
Similarly, the famous Dubi copper plate grant has
also inform us about the existence of a market town in ancient
53.
Assam. Whatever might be the references, a town of commercial
47. Barpujari, H.K.(ed.): Op-cit, 1990, p.244.
48. Kosambi, D.D.: The Culture and Civilization of Ancient
India,(1964), 1994, p.196.
Nandi, R.N. Social Roots of Religion of Ancient India, 1986, p.99.
Lahiri, N. Pre Ahom Assam, 1991, p. 109.
49.
50.
51.
Ibid.
52.
Gachtal Inscription, v.31.
53. Dubi, C.P. v. 40.