Town Planning in Ancient India c17.s4: Madurā
Town Planning in Ancient India c17.s4
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Madurā
c17.s4.1
“ Madurā, the capital of the Pāṇḍyas was a fortified city. There were four gates to the fort, surmounted by high towers, and outside the massive walls which were built of rough-hewn stone, was a deep moat, and surrounding the moat was a thick jungle of thorny trees. The roads leading to the gates were wide enough to permit several elephants pass abreast and on the walls on both sides of the entrance, there were all kinds of weapons and missiles concealed, ready to be discharged on an enemy. Yavana soldiers with drawn swords guarded the gates. Over the gates and walls waved many a standard which had been taken in battle. The principal streets in the city were royal street, the market street, the courtezans' street, and the streets where dwelt the goldsmiths, corn-dealers, cloth merchants, jewellers, etc. Outside the fort of Madurā resided those men who led a life of religious devotion and poorer classes such as the Panar and other lower castes."[1] This account I supplement from the materials furnished by Venkatarama Ayyar. The original site of Madurā was a forest of lordly kadamba trees whence another name of Madurā is Kadamba-vana. In this forest were a beautiful tank and a temple of God Śiva on its embankment. The then ruling king of the Pāṇḍya dynasty attracted by the site, caused a careful survey of it and finally evolved a city-plan starting with the temple as centre. Round this temple the king constructed in order, a Padma-maṇḍapam where the Vedas would be chanted, an Artha-maṇḍapam where festivals might be held, and a Nṛtya-maṇḍapam or kitchen for the temple, and other small temples around. Thereafter were laid out the main streets including the chief processional streets, and other small streets were constructed intersecting the former. And in the open squares thus formed public meeting places and other open places were also planned and constructed. He also erected several public platforms and planted fruit trees thereon. He did not disturb the existing streams and ponds, but added to their number. Such were the tanks, orchards, gardens, and flower gardens; and the walls and moats encircled the town.
c17.s4.2
¹ V. Kanaksavai, pp. 12-3.
c17.s4.3
Many years passed and the town was washed away by a huge flood. When it subsided, the town was constructed anew. The plan was drawn up afresh after a resurvey of the limits of the old city from a study of the extant traces and that on such a comprehensive scale as to satisfy the growing need of the swelling population. In this new plan, which was circular also, the old temple retained its central position.¹ The great
c17.s4.4
¹ Cf. Mānasāra: "In the reconstruction of old ruined villages, old shrine should not be disturbed; but on the other hand, the plan should start from it and centre round it." Ch. 9.
c17.s4.5
पौराणदेवतास्थानं सर्वथापि न चालयेत् ।
तस्मात्तदनुसारेण कुर्याद्वास्तुविनिर्णयम् ॥
c17.s4.6
entrance gate of the city was to the south, while the smaller gate on the northern side was its exit. Thus the city grew towards the south and had the river Vaikaki as a natural boundary on the north. This arrangement of a big entrance gate and a small exit gate is after the model of ordinary houses. The walls of the fort were constructed as the natural topography of the land would permit and hence admitted of several deflections and zig-zag shapes. It was henceforth called Tirumudangal or the beautiful city surrounded by meandering walls.
c17.s4.7
" The starting point and circumscribing walls having been decided upon, it then became necessary to allot the several classes of population to definitely marked areas and provide ample open spaces, public baths, public halls, schools, markets, gymnasiums, or public play grounds, and other appurtenances of the city. The portion for the palace having been duly apportioned, the remaining space was utilised for schools, streets, play grounds and separate quarters for the different classes. And all these were done according to the Śāstras, due importance being attached to the provision of groves and parks which were reared afresh in several parts of the newly planned city.
c17.s4.8
" There were not only big broad streets but also crooked streets and small lanes in the new plan.....The four streets round the King's palace was occupied by the ministers, rich merchants,.. Brāhmaṇs, and others, mostly servants of the Royal household. The streets were provided with dustbins."
c17.s4.9
" Into the ditch was received all the drainage water of the city. The rural belt round the city gave it a desirable completeness and finish. A little from the eastern gate of the city and outside the walls of the fort, there was a spacious garden which was left for the exclusive use of saints and others who were engaged in meditation and prayer.
c17.s4.10
" On either side of the ditch next to the walls of the city, there was a small forest-growth (thorny thickets) which was one of the defences of the city. It was in the nature of a garden which, while serving the purpose of defence, had the other advantage of providing a use for the impure water of the city. This device of forming gardens and groves outside the city utilised the drain water of the city considerably....Triangular plots, and quadrangular plots or squares separated these streets from the royal palace proper."
Linked texts (1)
- Mānasāra — Sanskrit