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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c13.s9: (9) Fortification

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c13.s9

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(9) Fortification

c13.s9.1

The principles of fortification of towns were well understood We read that the city of Campā was solidly built and it was hard to enter Its moat (phalīha) was broad on top and cut deep down, it had discs (cakka), clubs (gaya), maces (musundhī), barriers (oṇoha), war-machines (sayagghī) and double doors (jamalakavāda); it was surrounded by a wall (pākāra) bent in a curve like a bow, and decorated with cornices (kavisīsa) arranged in circles, its bastions (attālaya), rampart paths (cariya), door-ways (dāra), gates (gopura), and arches (torana) were lofty, its high roads (rāyamagga) duly divided, its gate bars (phalīha) and bolts (indakīla) were strong and fashioned by skilful artificers¹⁴⁶

c13.s9.2

¹⁴⁶ Ovā 1 also Uttarā 9 18-24.

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Of religious architecture we find mention of the devakulas or temples We are not told in details about the nature and architectural feature of these buildings, except that they were resorts of the travellers

c13.s9.4

We have references to thūbhas and the cetyas, built upon the remains of the deceased persons. Such thūbhas are said to have been built on Atthāpada in memory of Usabha by his son Bharaha.¹⁴⁷ We are told that in the village of Vaddhāmanaya a Jakkha temple was built on the bones of the deceased persons of the town, and hence this village came to be known as Atthiyagāma.¹⁴⁸ The temple (*devakula*) built on the remains of the dead was also called *maḍagaleṇa* or *matagaha*.¹⁴⁹

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¹⁴⁷ Ava cū p 223 f, cf Titthira Jātaka (No 438, III, p. 537); for the construction of a Vihāra see also Avadāna Sataka, II, 15, p. 87, Mahāvamsa, chs, XXVIII, seq, Indian Architectural Terms by A K. Coomaraswamy, J. A O S 48-3, 1928

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¹⁴⁸ *Ava cū* p 272

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¹⁴⁹ *Nisī. cū* 330, *Ācā cū* 370

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*Layana* is mentioned as a resort of the ascetics in caves.¹⁵⁰ We hear of the *mangala cetiya* in Mathurā. It was a belief here that if a Jain image was not put in the lintel, then the house would fall.¹⁵¹

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¹⁵⁰ *Anu. Sū* 99, p 145

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¹⁵¹ *Brh Bhā* 1 1776

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In furniture we also come across rich beds, cushions, pillows, chairs, etc.

c13.s9.12

Among marriage gifts mention has been made of *pāvīḍha* (foot stool), *bhisiya* (seat), *pallanka* (couches) and *paḍisijjā* (sofas) Various kinds of *āsanas* have already been noted.¹⁵²

c13.s9.13

¹⁵² See supra, p 157, also see *Rāya Sū* 113, *Kalpa 4* 49,63 For references to cushions, coverlets, counterpanes, chairs etc see *Mahāvagga* v 10 3, *Cullavagga* vi. 2 4, also *Indian Culture* Vol. II, July, 1935 pp 271 ff, Giriya Prasanna Majumdar's article on Furniture, also *Mānasāra*, chs. XLIV, XLV, R L Mitra *Indo-Aryan*, Vol I pp 250 ff.

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*Daṇḍasampucchani* and *veṇusampucchani* are mentioned as brooms attached to the bamboo-sticks¹⁵³

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¹⁵³ *Rāya Sū* 21.

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Among other domestic furniture we have the fan (*vijana*), the umbrella (*chatta*), sticks (*daṇḍa*)¹⁵⁴ jak-tail (*camara*), the mirror (*ādamsa*), the box (*mañjūsa*), the casket (*samugga*), a basket (*piḍaya*) and cages (*pañjara*).¹⁵⁵

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¹⁵⁴ *Brh Bhā* 3 4097, for umbrella, foot-wear and stick, also see Giriya Prasanna Majumdar's article on Dress in the *Indian culture* (I, 1-4, pp. 203-208).

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¹⁵⁵ *Uttarā.* 14.41.

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