Town Planning in Ancient India c11.6

c11.6

doubt that the town-planner or the Sthapati, coming as he did from a noble family, by his birth and literary attainments, was quite familiar with the cultural ideals and predilections, religious and social, of the people for whom he had to build the city. Such knowledge was an indispensable qualification of the Sthapati inasmuch as he had to bring out in the city an expression of the life of its citizens. Further it seems very probable that he had to carefully prepare a chart marking in it the boundaries, the roads, and scheme of their planting and the location of public buildings, tanks, and gardens. Next in rank to the Sthapati was the Sūtragrāhī (literally lineman or plumber) expert in surveying and drafting (rekhājña). He was either the son or the disciple of the Sthapati, strictly obedient to the latter. He was the superior officer (guru) over the following two. The Takshaka, the chisellor, well versed in all mechanical arts including carpentry, was the officer subordinate to the Sūtragrāhī. Under the Takshaka was placed the Vardhakī, the joiner, who was a specialist in draftsmanship and the