Town Planning in Ancient India c6.14

c6.14

Moreover, the sites of great cities have often been indicated by some nascent industry—viz., a mine, a bed of flint, a layer of clay useful for household utensils. In cases like these it is quite possible that villages which have specialised in any art, working upon local materials, have grown into towns. Who can say that the importance of the localities which once developed into the famous towns, of Dacca noted for its finest muslin, of Kṛṣṇanagar renowned for clay-modelling, of Murshidabad distinguished for its silk-clothings, of Golkuṇḍa famous for its diamonds, of Agra known for its perfumery and marble works, was not partially derived from their excellent local manufactures which commanded a respectable market beyond the limits of the manufactories and that they were not the market-places where the artisans brought their articles for sale? There can also be cited here many modern instances of such factory towns, to wit, Jheria and Jamshedpur.¹