Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c8.s4.24

c8.s4.24

The majority of villages probably contained a heterogeneous population, but there were others inhabited exclusively or mainly by members of a single caste or followers of a single occupation. For example, the city of Vaisālī had three important suburbs, namely, Bambhaṇagāma, Khattiya-Kuṇḍaggāma and Vāṇiyagāma, inhabited by Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas and the merchants in succession. Then there were villages inhabited by peacock-tamers (*mayūraposaga*),⁷ acrobats⁸ and robbers (*corapalli*).⁹ There were border villages (*paccantagāma*) which were in a very insecure condition.¹⁰