Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c15.180

c15.180

Further light is thrown on Town-planning by the Pali texts of the times. An older city of Magadha was old Rājagṛiha known as Girivraja which was the capital of emperor Bimbisāra (c. 603-515 B.C.). The *Mahābhārata* refers to Girivraja as the capital of the much older king Jarāsandha of Magadha, and describes it as being protected by five hills which are still traced, the hills called Vaihāra, Varāha, Vṛishabha, Ṛishigiri, and Chaityaka. The famous Sattapaṇṇi cave where was held the first Buddhist Council in c. 543 B.C. was situated on the Vebhāra hill. Ajātaśatru helped in the meeting of this Council (*Dhammasaṅgīti*) by building with expedition a large Hall at the entrance to the Cave, 2 platforms for the President and the speakers, and spreading costly mats on the floor for the seating of members [*Mahāvaṁsa*, Ch. III]. Later, Bimbisāra changed the capital to Rājagṛiha also known as Bimbisārapurī. The town-planning engineer and the palace architect is called Mahāgovinda. The gate of the city was closed in the evening to all, including the king [*Vinaya*, IV. 116 f.]. The walls and fortifications of old Rājagṛiha are still visible, showing how they were built of rude and rough cyclopean masonry which made the structures so durable to this day.