The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c16.25

c16.25

More even than the hereditariness of the profession there was another factor which contributed to the organisation of particular branches of trade,¹ namely, the local union and isolation which the different handicrafts, according to the Jâtakas, undoubtedly experienced. In the city, fixed streets were the place of residence of fixed tradesmen; for example, ivory-carvers (dantakâra) had a street to themselves. It is narrated how a man reaches Benares and going about the town comes to the ivory-carvers' street and sees how ivory things are made by them in various forms (dantakâravîthim patvâ dantakâre danta-vikatiyo kurumâne disvâ, I. 320). In another passage also the street of the ivory-carvers is mentioned: A poor man who lives in Benares sees how in the street of the ivory-carvers, ivory rings, etc., are made (dantakâravîthiyam dantavalîyâdam karonte disvâ) and asks, "Will you buy tusks from me if I bring some?" As they answer in the affirmative, he kills elephants, takes out the tusks and maintains his livelihood by their sale.