The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c12.40

c12.40

Obviously, the *dovārika* had for his duty the closing of the gate of the city at night. According to the Kurudhamma Jātaka, he announces thrice at the time of shutting the gate the closing of the city gate (probably, by blowing upon a horn); a poor man who had gone to the forest with his sister to collect wood and had thereby been late, he addresses as follows, "Do you not know that the king is in the city and that the gate of the city is closed at the right time?" (II. 379). Foreigners, who did not know their way about the city, he had to direct. In the Mahāssaroha Jātaka the king promises the *dovārika* 1,000 gold pieces if he can take him to a man living in the frontier who would cause enquiry to be made about the house of Mahāssaroha.