Local Government in Ancient India c9.s1.2

c9.s1.2

Similarly, the excavations at Basāṛh (identified with Vaiśālī) have brought to light many seals with inscriptions that connect them with the time of the Imperial Gupta kings, and ‘the most numerous [class] among the seal inscriptions is that referring to the corporation or guild (*nigama*) of bankers (*śreṣṭhin*), traders (*sārthavāha*), and merchants (*kulika*).’ It is invariably combined with other seals, giving the names of private individuals, who were themselves traders, merchants, or bankers, and probably were the members of those guilds. One person, Hari by name, styles himself as both *kulika* and *prathama-kulika*, i. e. the leader of merchants. ‘It looks as if during those days something like a modern chamber of commerce existed in Upper India at some big trading centre, perhaps at Pāṭaliputra’ (Dr. Bloch in the *Arch. Survey, Annual Report*, 1903–4. p. 104). The discoveries included three specimens of seals bearing the legend *śreṣṭhi-kulika-nigama*, ‘the corporation of bankers (and) merchants’, and no less than 274 showing the legend *śreṣṭhi-sārthavāha-kulika-nigama* (or sometimes *nigamā*), i.e. the corporation of bankers, traders, (and) merchants. The symbol added to these merchant guilds' seals has been described by Dr. Bloch as a money-chest, because in shape it resembles the money-bag held in front from which the attendant of Lakṣmī, very probably Kubera, throws down coins, as depicted on the seals of officials. Among the names of private persons who are associated with the seals of the guilds as their members may be mentioned Ajapāla, Āryyanandi, Bhavasena, Nāgasiṃha, Dharmmo-rakṣati-rakṣita, Ghoṣa, Gomikaputra, Harigupta, Varāhasya (genitive), Īśānadāsasya (genitive), Keśavadattasya (genitive), Lakṣmaṇa, Mātṛdāsa, &c. We have also a number of what may be called *kulika-* and *śreṣṭhi*-seals, i. e. seals issued by *kulikas* or merchants and *śreṣṭhins* or bankers, whose names are given on them, e. g. *kulika-Dhanasya*, *śreṣṭhi-Śrīdāsasya*, &c. Again, no less than sixteen specimens of a seal bearing the legend *śreṣṭhi-nigamasya*, (seal) of the guild of bankers were discovered by the excavations of Dr. D. B. Spooner, who is thus led to make the following remark: 'Banking was evidently as prominent in Vaiśālī as we should have expected it to be, judging from the notice in Manu to the effect that the people in Magadha were bards and traders' (*Arch. Surv., Annual Report*, 1913–14, p. 122).¹