History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c29.s1.t3.16

v1.c29.s1.t3.16

*Mānasāra* divides town into eight classes: (*Rājadhāni*, *Nagar*, *Pura*, *Nagarī*, *Kheta*, *Khārvaṭa*, *Kubjaka* and *Paṭṭana*) and mentions the plan of a city (nagar). It had high, perhaps concentric walls about it in which were watch towers, massive gates, strong doors, protected chiefly by wide bridge moat, latter filled with crocodiles and armed with paling, guarded the walls. The city was laid in several squares. The streets were lighted with torches. The principles of Indian Town Planning have some striking similarity to those of early European cities and it is interesting to compare *Mānasāra* with the work of Vitruvius (a work of c. 25 B.C.).