History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c33.s5.1

v1.c33.s5.1

Pāṇini attests to the existence of an over-land trade-route. He speaks of travellers going by Uttarāpatha and of goods gathered by that route. Pāṇini and Patañjali mention chief cities like Bālhika, Kapiśi, Puskalavatī, Masakavatī, Takṣaśilā, Sakala, Hastināpur, Kausāmbī, Kāsī and Pāṭaliputra. Takṣaśilā, by virtue of her strategic geographical position as well as her status as the capital city of Gandhara, played a leading role in the inland and foreign trade of ancient India (Ray and Sen).