State and Government in Ancient India c16.109

c16.109

The activity of the ancient Indian state in the realm of industry and commerce was considerable and the department in their charge engaged large staff to supervise and carry on its activities. Cloth industry was the most flourishing industry of the country and the state used to have its own weaving department, partly as a means of poor relief and partly as a source of revenue. The employees of this department used to send cotton to the homes of weak and destitute persons, and get the yarn spun through them at agreed rates.¹ Of course the department must have had its own compliment of able-bodied workers as well. The officers of this department are designated as *sūtrādhyaksha* by Kauṭilya and *vastrādhyaksha* by Śukra (II. 119). The state used to have its own distilleries, which were under the charge of *surādhyaksha*.² Private persons were also allowed to manufacture wines under licenses on the payment of prescribed fees. It was the duty of the officers of this department to supervise the drinking houses and to see that no cheating was practised in their premises. The state also tried to control prostitution through another department, whose officers were known as *gaṇikādhyaksha*.³ Prostitutes were required to give full information about the persons who visited them; it often helped the police department to detect crimes. They were also used as spies and often sent to other states in that capacity; very often feudatories were compelled to entertain some dancing girls of the imperial court at their capitals.³ In big towns there used to be state slaughter houses, where animals could be slaughtered, of course after the payment of a fee. There was a prohibition against the slaughter of calves, bulls and cows. Superintendents of slaughter houses used to be appointed to supervise the arrangement in this connection. They were also to see that animals in the game forests were not killed by outsiders.⁴