The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c10.s1.t7: 2. Town-Planning in Tamil Territories
The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c10.s1.t7
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2. Town-Planning in Tamil Territories
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Tamil literature affords us some glimpses into the wards, streets, sewers, markets, gardens, tanks, temples and public buildings of South Indian cities. In regard to Mâdurâ we know that the streets around the palace and other streets, large and small, straight and crooked, were provided with *puri-mams* (dust receptacles). Such receptacles were built of bricks and were plastered over with white lime. There was one *purimam* at either end of each street.² There was a deep ditch around the walls of the fort. Into this ditch was received all the drainage water of the city.³ "Red light districts" were segregated for public women with separate parks, baths and gardens.⁴
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² Ayyar, pp. 42, 44, 51.
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³ Ayyar, pp. 42, 44, 51.
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⁴ Ayyar, pp. 42, 44, 51.
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At Kâverip-pumpattinam the foreign (Roman) merchants were housed near the sea-coast. This was intended for the facility of collecting duties from them. Customs officials sealed the goods with the "tiger stamp" of the state. The removal of goods from the docks was forbidden until the duty was paid. The city maintained light-houses on the beach.⁵
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⁵ Pillai's *Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago*, pp. 16, 24, 26; *Ind. Ship.*, 135—137.
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There is an interesting account of the system of water supply for Vanji (Karur), the capital of the Chera state on the west coast. A ditch encircled the walls of the city. By a network of *tumbu* (conduit pipes) the water of the palace, public halls and private residences was conducted into the ditch. Those who could afford the expense had separate baths specially constructed for them in such a manner that water might be filled in or let out at pleasure.⁶
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⁶ Ayyar, p. 61.
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In Tamil books the cities of Madras are generally decribed in extent as nine miles each way or at any rate in length. The governors of urban areas paid considerable attention to drainage. Walled cities were universal like the polises of Greece. Hiuen Thsang⁷ also noticed the "wide and high walls" and "inner gates" of Indian cities. In his account the walls are mostly built of brick or tiles, and the towers on the walls are constructed of wood or bamboo. Walled towns and villages have been the rule since Vedic times.¹
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⁷ *Si-Yuki*, Vol. I, 73—74.
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¹ *Vedic Index*, Vol. I, pp. 538—540.