Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c6.s5.52

c6.s5.52

THE SAMAJJAS. Then there were frequent *Samajjas*,⁹ where crowds of men, women and children gathered together and witnessed various kinds of shows and performances, dancing and music, ballad-recitations (*akkhānam*), and pantomimes, combats of elephants, horses and rams, bouts of quarter-staff (*daṇḍehi yuddham*) and wrestling. Boys and girls were fond of these social gatherings,¹⁰ and the parents of the youths studying at the university schools, like Benares and Takkasilā, sent messages for their sons to come and see the festivals.¹¹ The palace-court of the king (*rājaṅgaṇam*) was the usual place where these gatherings were held, and the king himself would make a proclamation by beat of drum and invite the people to come there and witness the performances.¹ A pavilion (*maṇḍapaṃ*) was set up at the palace-door: a throne (*pallaṅka*) was set apart for the king: around him sat slaves, women of the harem, courtiers, Brāhmaṇas and the citizens. In the courtyard were fixed seats, circle by circle, and tier by tier (*Cakkāṭicakke : mañcātimañce*).² Among a sort of Olympic games wrestling (*mallayuddhaṃ*) was the most popular.³ The wrestling-ring (*yuddhamaṇḍalaṃ*) was gaily decorated. Both the wrestlers went down into the ring, and strutted about, jumping, shouting, clapping their hands.⁴ They struck their doubled arms (*diguṇaṃ bhujaṃ*) to each other: one tried to strike down the other.⁵ Then there were wonderful feats of archery as noticed before.⁶ Fights of rams⁷ and elephants⁸ and horse-playing⁹ were also common. Dramatic festivities (*nāṭakāni*) were also instituted.¹⁰ In the *Guttila Jātaka*,¹¹ we witness a musical competition between two master-musicians amidst a big gathering of people in the palace courtyard. Outside the palace courtyard, again, we see people enjoying themselves with various sights and performances: acrobatic feats¹² snake-charmer's tricks,¹³ and so on. The people took great interest in all these games and performances and, when delighted, they would give out their garments and ornaments, probably as a reward for the skilful performers.¹⁴ Of outdoor festivities we hear of *samajjas* arranged on mountaintops (*giriaggasamajja*),¹⁵ where feasting was indulged in and, possibly also, theatrical performances were instituted, as in later days.¹⁶ In all these part, if at all.¹⁷ They were, for the most part, purely secular amusements. Besides the festivals and occasional festivities, there were daily *goṣṭhis* (*goṭṭhaṃ*)¹⁸ or social gatherings where people diverted themselves in pleasant talks and gossips on varied subjects.¹⁹