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ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
jalapattanas were the ports having a flourishing water-trade.1 Anandapura and Dasannapura are cited as examples of thalapattana, while Purima and Diva were the famous jalapattana of the time." Donamuhas were the centres of trade where trade was carried by land as well as by water.* Frequent mentions of the pattana, nigama ( towns exclusively inhabited by the Vaņiks), sannivesa ( halting places for the caravans) and puṭabbhedana ( trade emporiums where the packages of the trade articles were received and sold ) in the text reveal the importance of these trading communities which actually controlled the economic and commercial life during the period.
A regular local trade or trade within the state as well as inter-state trade existed during this time. The trade articles were classified into two groups-those brought from the villages of the same kingdom or state (sadesagāmão) and those brought from the villages of the other states (paradesagamão). The merchants or Vaniks were also divided into two groups, viz. those who lived at a definite place and sold their commodities in the market or shops (vani) and those who were without shop (vivani). The latter must have moved from village to village selling their commodities. The Vaniks usually went to the neighbouring villages or states with their carts loaded with merchandise." Some of the Vaniks even went to the distant regions for trade leaving their everything behind.
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1. पट्टणं दुविहं - जलपट्टणं थलपट्टणं च — NC. 3, p. 346.
2. 4aqi izgufa-NC. 2, p. 328; Brh. Vr. 2, p. 342.
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3. जलपट्टणं पुरिमाती - NC. 2, p. 328.
4. जलेण थलेण दोसु वि मुहं दोणमुहं — Ibid. The Vrtti on Bhatkalpa mentions Bhrgukaccha and Tamralipta as two droṇamukhas of the time (Brh. Vt. 2, p. 342)
5. वणिया जत्थ केवला वसंति णिगमं - NC. 2, p. 328.
6. भंडगा घणा जत्थ भिज्जंति तं पुडाभेयणं - NC. 3, p. 347.
7. परगामाहडं तं दुविहं-सदेसगामाओ, इयरे त्ति परदेसगामाओ वा — NC. 2, p. 209. 8. वणित्ति - जे णिच्चट्ठिता ववहरंति, "विवणी" त्ति — जे विणा आवणेण · · · वाणिज्जं f-NC. 4, p. 130.
9. NC. 3, p. 139.
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