War in Ancient India c9.s1.t1.15

c9.s1.t1.15

The next strategical point to be considered by the commander was the encampment. It is called in the Purāṇas and epics *Skandāvāra*,¹⁵ and in the inscriptions of Vijayanagar *Kandācāra*.¹⁶ Generally thickly wooded spots were selected for the disposition of the troops. The best ground¹⁷ for entrenching horses is a level plain with no rocks and covered only with a few trees, and not muddy; for chariots, a well-laid road, devoid of sand or mud, trees, shrubs, etc.; for elephants, one without mud or having a layer of sharp gravel; and for infantry and others, one free from all defects, but with available supplies of drinking water. It should be broad and free from thorns. The camp¹⁸ was usually quadrangular in shape, furnished with four entrances, six roads and nine divisions and with walls, towers and ditches thrown round so as to afford a defence in times of danger. This is illustrated from Bharata’s camp on the banks of the Ganges on the eve of his meeting Rāma and from those of the Pāṇḍavas and the Kurus on the eve of the Great War. There were separate grounds for the drill and exercise of soldiers. Every division of the army was housed comfortably in inner apartments erected for the purpose. Honest and loyal men were posted to watch the movements of the enemy. It is said that eighteen divisions of sentinels should daily change their watches in turn. Outside the camp and at a distance from it, forest men should be posted in circular arrays. Even during the hours of the rest the king must be armed, always ready for action. Around the camp, again, secret pits were dug up and covered with thorns, nails, pikes and such other things as would cause hurt to those entering the camp from outside. The cavalry soldiers were generally selected as scouts and as pickets to protect the supply department, and to guard depots of stores of all kinds. It is recommended that other available camping grounds should be such as to place the enemy at a disadvantage. In the camps, drinking, gambling and other social enjoyments were prohibited, and for men coming in and going out of the camp a system of passports¹⁹ was maintained in order to distinguish them from the enemy’s spies who might enter in disguise and unobserved.