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enterprises (which may have been a convert of pilgrim town)
normally have a favourable location for transportation and
communication.54
Thus, the whole matter, concerning to the
religious or commercial consideration seem to have played a vital
role in creating new cities or to the growth of village into town
with improved system of road connectivity.
55 While referring to the question of commercial activities
as well as the road connectivity that ancient Assam had with rest
of India and abroad, the first interesting point to note is that before
the discovery of the land route between India and China through
north western part of India and central Asia, Assam was the only
corridor to make a communication with China from rest of India.
Regarding this, The Priplus of the Erythrean sea of the first
century A.D. has also made an indication about the existence of a
trade route between north-eastern part of India and south west
China.56
Chang Kien, one Chinese explorer, politician, marine
officer has made a description that it was atleast from the 2nd
century B.C. there was an unrecognized trade route between Assam
and south western parts of China. Giving a new impetus to the
whole matter of road connectivity of ancient Assam, P.C. Bagchi
has made an interesting comment that Pragjyotisa-Kamrupa stood
on a highway leading to China started from Pataliputra.57 Explaining the
stresses of the route, he further states that starting from
Pataliputra, the ancient capital of India, this road passed by
54. Barua, B.K. : Op-cit (1951), 1969, p.79.
55.
Chatterjee, S.K.: Asom Aru Bharat(As), Published in Asomiya
Sanskriti, Neog. H. & Gogoi L. (ed.) (1963), 1975.,p.218.
56.
Barpujari, H.K.(ed.) Op-cit, 1990, p.258.
57.
Bagchi, P.C.: India and China, 1950, p.19.