The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c15.s1.11

c15.s1.11

In view of what we have stated above there is no need to re-emphasize the value of the communication system of the country. It was the development of the trans-continental highways or trunk roads, that forged the bonds of unity between the various regions and strengthened the centripetal forces by enabling free movement of peoples, goods and ideas. We have seen already enough archaeological evidence of these movements. But, our history based on literary sources is a distinct contribution of the Aryans, who created or inspired the whole mass of Indian literature. As they slowly moved (influencing and being influenced by the Pre-Aryan elements), Indian history based on literary sources is the story of their geographic knowledge and ignorance of the country. But by about the Buddhist Period, they knew about the whole of India, north of Vindhyas and a few regions to the south of it. Very soon, probably due to strong political and economic pressure, communications were firmly established. The best evidence is provided by the early Buddhist literature. On the one hand we read of Jivaka, the physician of Bimbisara, who studied at Taxila, while we have the classical passage giving us the story of Bavarin and his pupils staying on the Godavary at Paithan (Pratisthana).¹ There is a description of all the towns on the route from Paithan to Vaisali. By the time we come to the Mauryan period, Asokan inscriptions are our best guide, due to their location on the highways. And the story of the third Buddhist Council is well-known.