Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c9.s2.t3.2

c9.s2.t3.2

The two low-lying strips of territory overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal respectively are “filled with luxuriant vegetation, nourished by sea-borne mists and vapours”, bedecked with groves of palm and cocoanut and adorned in places by a number of backwaters, lagoons or lakes. They afford a most picturesque sight to the traveller. The wide expanse of the table land of the interior, “in some parts mountainous and wooded, in others flat and undulating, with stretches of rich crop-growing fields as well as sterile soil”, also presents a beautiful and diversified scenery. The south became justly famous for its natural wealth. The maritime belts are in many places exceedingly fertile and produced abundant crops of cereals. Ancient ports are found scattered all along the coastline through which a brisk trade was carried on with the countries of the west and the east from bygone times. Among the chief articles of commerce pepper, beryl and pearls were highly prized in Europe. The last-mentioned articles find prominent mention in the works of the Classical authors since the days of Megasthenes. Kauṭilya, too, refers to pearl called Tāmraparṇika, “that which is produced in Tāmraparṇi,” besides articles produced in Pandya-kapāṭa and the cotton fabrics of Madura.