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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t3: Horticulture

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t3

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English

Horticulture

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Horticulture was in a much developed state We get descriptions of gardens and parks (*ārāma: uyyāna· niyāna*)⁶¹ and a large variety of garden-produce both fruits and flowers; almost every big city preserved one or more gardens Various kinds of creepers (*layā : vallī*) are mentioned; the chief amongst them being *pauma, nāga, asoga, campaga, cūya, rāsantī, aimuttaya, kunda* and *sāma*⁶² Among flowers most important being *navamālikā, korantaka, bandhujīvaka, kaṇera, jāti, mogara, yūthikā, mallikā, vāsanti, mṛgadantikā, campaka, kunda* and others.⁶³

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⁶¹ See *Bhag, Ti*, 6 7, *Rāya Ti Sū.*, 1, p 5, *Bṛh Bhā Vṛ*, 4, 4522; 1. 3170f; *Aṇu cū.*, p. 53 *Nisi cū*, 8, p 494

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⁶² *Rāya. Sū*, 3, p 18, *Nāyā* 1, p 10

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⁶³ *Paṇṇa*, 1 23 23-5 For the flower and plants see *Rāmāyaṇa*, II. 94. 8ff; also S. K. Das, op. cit pp 104f, 206-7

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Among fruits mention may be made of mango, fig, plaintain, date, wood-apple, citron, bread-fruit, pomegranate, grapes, cocoanut, and others⁶⁴. Mango-groves consisting of one thousand mango trees were also known.⁶⁵

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⁶⁴ *Paṇṇa*. 1, 23 12-7, *Ācā* II, 1 8 266

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⁶⁵ *Utā* 7, p. 47 for similar references in the *Jātakas* see S K Das, op. cit., p 207.f.

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Koṭṭaka was a drying place for fruits, people used to gather fruits from jungles and store them at this place; they carried them in waggons, bundles etc. to cities for sale.⁶⁶ Four methods of ripening fruits are mentioned. Some fruits such as mango etc. were ripened by covering them with husk or straw (*indhana*). *Tiṇḍuka* (a fruit of the ebony tree) and other fruits were ripened by subjecting them to a heating process. The process was that first a hollow was made in which the cow-dung fire was lit; around this other hollows were made which were filled with raw fruits. Those hollows were connected with the central hollow by means of holes and thus the fruits ripened by the heat of the fire (*dhūma*). Then cucumber (*cibhaṭa*) and citron (*bījapūra*) etc. ripened by mixing them with ripe fruits (*gandha*) Lastly, the fruits ripened in their natural way on trees (*vaccha*).⁶⁷

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⁶⁶ *Bṛh Bhā* 1 872

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⁶⁷ *ibid.*, 1. 8411

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It is said that the people of Koṅkaṇa were fond of fruits and flowers and they maintained themselves by selling them.⁶⁸ Flower-houses were made during festivals⁶⁹

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⁶⁸ *ibid.*, 1. 1239

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⁶⁹ *Nāyā*, 8, pp. 93, 95, 103.

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Among the miscellaneous products mention may be made of saffron (*kumkuma*), camphor (*kappūra*), cloves (*lavaṅga*), lac, sandal,⁷⁰ honey (*mahu*)⁷¹ and others.

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⁷⁰ *ibid.*, 1, pp 3, 10

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⁷¹ Three varieties of honey are mentioned, viz *macchiya, kuṭṭiya* and *bhāmara* (*Āva, cū*, II, p. 319); also see *Caraka* ch. 27, p. 796.

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Then we have waste lands which may be classified into cremation or burial grounds, forests and pastures, mining and river tracts.

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The pasture grounds (*daviya*)⁷² were very useful where herds of cattle and goats were grazed. *Davaggi* is mentioned as a profession that dealt in burning grass and protecting the fields.⁷³ The cowherds (*govālaka*) and shepherds (*ajāpāla: chāgalīya*) were employed, who led the herds to these grounds for grazing. We hear of a shepherd who was very good at shooting and used to make holes in the leaves of a banyan tree with his tiny bow (*dhanuhiȳā*).⁷⁴

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⁷² *Ācā.* II, 3. 2. 350.

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⁷³ *Uvā.*, 1, p 11.

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⁷⁴ *Uttarā.* *Tī.* 5, p. 103.

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