Atmanandji Jainacharya Janmashatabdi Smarakgranth

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Atmanand Janma Shatabdi Smarak Trust

Page 134

CORO
I
TT.
VAL
HJAIN INFLUENCE
ON
MESMO TUTO
CTURES
THE ARC
ol
NET
X
OLLINS
By 10. Hirondinela Suistri. M. A.. M.. 1... 1). LITT.
( Directo r delo:14-Barela State)
India does not possess very ancient structures. Excavations at Mohenjo-daro in Sind and Harappa in the Punjab have revealed remains of several cities super-imposed on one another which flourished some 6000 years ago. These are remnants of large and populous cities having well-built houses, temples and public buildings of brick-masonry. They are the indications of a highly developed civilization which India possessed during those days. Whether this civilization was indigenous or foreign in origin has not yet been decided. So we may leave it out present as this note is not meant for discussing it. We might start from the period when we can stand on a firm ground, I mean, the Maurya period or rather the reign of Asoka the great, the architectural remains of whose glorious rule are still to be found in India. These are mostly in stone and in bricks. The earlier ones which served as models perhaps were in wood and must have perished apparently because of the nature of the material.
There are reasons to believe that the ornamented buildings of ancient India were mainly constructed of timber. Foundations and substructures were of bricks but the superstructure was in wood as we now see in Burma.
Shatabdi Granth ]
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