Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c11.26

c11.26

Precaution against Fire. There were also many municipal regulations to prevent the outbreak of fire which was perhaps very common, considering the predominantly wooden material of the architecture of the period. The kindling of fire was prohibited in houses having thatched roofs during the second and third quarters of the day in summer, or cooking had to be done outside the house. Every householder had to provide himself under the penalty of fines with eightfold apparatus for control of fire (*agni-nirvāpaṇa-sādhana*) comprising (1) the *kumbha* (a kind of vessel), (2) the *droṇī*, a trough made of wood for storing water, (3) the ladder (*niḥśreṇī*) for climbing up to the top on fire, (4) the axe (*paraśu*) 'to cut off beams', (5) the winnowing basket (*śūrpa*) 'to blow off smoke' (6) the hook (*aṅkuśa*) for tearing away things burning, (7) pincers (*kachagrahaṇī*) for pulling out burning straw from the thatched roof of houses and (8) the leather bag (*dṛiti*) for sprinkling water. On the public highways, on cross-roads, at the gates of towns, and in all government buildings, rows of vessels in thousands filled with water '(*kuṭavrajāḥ*) were always kept in rows as safeguard against fire. Thatched houses made of straw were not allowed to be built in the summer months within the municipal limits. The masters of such households had to remain within doors at night and they were liable to fines if they failed to run towards the scene of fire. Fines were also imposed upon shop keepers for similar offence, though lighter than those of householders. Those who caused an outbreak of fire through carelessness had to pay a fine of 54 *paṇas* but those found guilty of deliberate incendiarism were themselves burnt to death (*prādīpiko agninā vadhyaḥ*). Lastly, those whose occupation was connected with fire (e.g. blacksmiths) had to live in a separate locality of the town (*agnijīvinaḥ ekasthān vāsayet*).