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EDUCATION AND ARCHITECTURE
439
The reference to 'varasālibhañjiyā (16,37)=varasālibhañjika' alludes to the figures of ladies carved on the pillars or on some parts of the buildings. Then there is a specific reference to the palace of Añjanāsundari, which was decorated with sculptural representations of dolls (sālibhañjiyākaliyam bhavanam 15.99).
Sihavāhiņi sejjā, (80. 7)=Simhavāhini Sayyā of Rāma denotes that a sleeping couch was carved with the figures of lions. It must be a couch made of wood. Further the allegorical reference to the dārumayā' (1.9) ears of Vidūşaka indicates that a wood-mask was worn by the jesters. Thus it indicates that sculpturing of wood was prevalent.
SECTION 4. HOUSING AND ARCHITECTURE,
The PCV furnishes a good deal of information about housing and architecture in ancient India. The persons who were engaged in various sorts of constructions are called Silpis (78.48; 102 24) who erected houses, buildings and other architectural things. The word 'Silpi' is used in the general sense of an artisan also (sayam ca sippāna uvaittam 3.114).
A Town Planning: There are scattered references to various constituents of a town. They can be arranged together systematically to have a general view of the planning of a town in ancient India. Thus the PCV reveals that a town was surrounded by a Pāyāra? - Prākára which was fitted with Gopuras, Dāras4 = Dvāras, Toranas and Ațțālayas =Attālakas. The Prākāra was from the outside encircled by a Phalihā®=Parikhā. Inside the Prākāra was situated the real town. There was the Avana'=Apaņa perhaps in the centre. The town was divided by Narindapaha8 = Narendrapatha, Ratthas=Rathyās and Maggā=Margas'. There were a number of Caccaras or Coukkas?o=Catvaras and Tiyasil= Trikas. Big houses 12 were lined on both the sides of the roads. Then there were the Ceiyagharas13 – Caityagrhas and the Rāyapura14 = Rājapura. The town was well laid out with Arāmas, Ujjāņa - Udyānas, Kāņaņas=Kānanas15 and Uvavaņas 16 = Upavanas which abounded in Saras?7. Pukkhariņi18=Puskariņis full of lotuses 19 Vāvisi20 = Vápis and Dihiyās21 =Dirghikās. All these constituents and the surrounding fields (Vappiņa Vapra-2.12) gave a pleasant look to the town.
1. See Harşacarita eka Samskritika Adhyayana, p. 61. 2. See also 6. 174. 3. 2.8; 6.211; 8.264; 33,77. 4. 62.33; 80.2. 5. 5.134. 6, 2.9. 7. 35.28; 80.61. 8. 76.8. 9. 115.7. 10. 2.13. 11. 66.9. 12. 3.157; 76.4. 13. 2.12; 8.267; 80.14. 14. 79.25. 15. 2.12. 16, 35.28. 17. 2.12. 18. 82.267; 80.14. 19. 5.56; 15.50. 20. 2.12. 21. 46.75; 80.14.
