Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 86

82
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JONE, 1919
A unique feature of the economic condition of this period is the institution of Sreņi or craft-guild. At Govardhana near the Nâsik or Trirasmi caves there were no less than four different descriptions of guilds, viz., tilapishaka or oil-millers' guild, odayantrika or guilds of artisans fabricating hydraulic engines, kularika or potters' (?) guild, and kolika-nikaya or weavers' guild of which there were two. In the town near the Junnar caves there were at least three guilds, one of dhansikas or corn-dealers, the second of vainsakaras of bamboo-workers and the third of kâsakaras or braziers. There must have been many more guilds not only in Govardhana or near Junnar but also at other district towns about which no mention has been made. The Jatakas or Birth-Stories of Buddha, which portray sosial life of the sixth century B.C., make mention of several such guilds. The conclusion is plain that both North and South India was studded with guilds from the sixth century B.C. to the third century A.D. Now the prevalence of these crafth-guilds shows that institutions of self-government were by no means uncommon in India. Secondly, in Europe a craft-guild comprised all the artisans in a single branch of industry in a particular town. This does not seem to be the case with those in India, at any rate in tbe Dekkan. We have seen that at Govardhana there were not one but two guilds of weavers. Thirdly, Sreņis of India were not simply trade guilds but were also something like modern banks, because anybody could invest any sums here and receive interest on them. Fourthly, any sum deposited in such guilds Fas called akshaya nívi or perpetual endowment. We have seen that Ushavadâta made two such permanent endowments-one for providing for new robes to the monks residing in his cave and the other for making money payments to them. We have also seen that Ushavadata was a personage of high rank. He was the son-in-law of the Kshatrapa Naha pâna ruling over Rajputâna, Central India. Kathiâwar, Gujarat and the Dekkan. If he occupied such a high status could he not have arranged for the robing and money payment of his monks from the local district treasury? Why, then, had he to make two investments in two different guilds? The reply most probably is that empires were looked upon as of short duration, but guilds as lasting institutions. An empire may be established and destroyed in no time, but a guild lived from age to age. This must have been the experience of the people, and this alone can explain why Ushavadâta deposited sums in the two guilds. Fifthly, we have geen what the rate of interest was. One guild paid at the rate of 12 per cent. per annum and the other 9 per cont. Sixthly, it is worthy of note that money was deposited in these guilds in indigenous coin, i.e. in kârshapana, and nct in Kusana or Suvarna which were both moneys introduced by foreign dynasties. Seventhly, it was not enough to deposit a sum in a guild, if it was to be a permanent endowment. The procedure did not end there, for what guarantee was there that interest on that sum would be paid by the guild from generation to generation after the death of the depositor? We know from Nâsik Inscription No. 12 that Ushavadáta after investing his sums in the two guilds of Govar dhana, had his charities proclaimed in the town assembly (nigama-sabha) and regis tered at the record office. It appears in ancient times each such town had its local self. government which was like a trade-guild looked upon as a permanent institution, and could insist upon the latter carrying out from generation to generation the original intention of a donor provided the exact nature of his benefaction was recorded in the town archives.
Again, there seems to have been frequent and pretty smooth communication between the different parts not only of the Dekkan but of India. Thus we have the benefaction of persons residing at Sopârâ recorded in the caves at Kârle, of those of Kalyan at Kayheri