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Economic Conditions
sālā)1. Jantapilaṇa was an occupation specialising in crushing sugarcane, sesame, and other articles by machine2. Puṇḍravardhana was noted for sugarcane cultivation.3 Three varieties of sugar are mentioned, viz., Machchaṇḍikā, puppottara, and paumuttara.4 Gourds were grown and were used by the ascetics.6
Betel (tāmbula) and arecanut (pūyaphali)s were known. Vegetables called śāka and mūla were grown in addition to brinjal, cucumber, radish, pālanka (mod. pālak), karella (mod. Kerela), tuber roots (āluga), water-nuts śringatala, (mod. singhāḍā), onion, garlic, and gourd. Vegetable-gardens (kachchha) were known where radish, cucumber, etc., were grown". Among flowers, most important are navamālikā, koranṭaka, bandhujivaka, kaṇera, jāti, mogara, puthikā, mallikā, vāsantī, mṛigadantikā, champaka, kunda, and others.10 Among fruits mention may be made of mango, fig, plantain, date, woodapple, citron, bread-fruit, pomegranate, grapes, cocoanut, and others.11 Koṭṭaka was a drying place for fruits; people used to gather fruits from jungles and store them at this place; they carried them in waggons, bundles etc. to cities for sale. Among the miscellaneous products of this period mention may be made of saffron (kumkuma), camphor (kappūra), lac, sandal,12 honey (mahu), and others.
For protection of the standing crops from animals and birds, various steps were taken by the farmers. They dug pitfalls around the fields, fixed stakes, set stonetraps, and planted snares.1 13 They also guarded the fields by fences and
1. Uva. Bhā, 10. 484.
2. Uva. I, p. 11; Jambu. Ti, 3. p. 193a.
2. Tandula Ti, p. 2.
4. Naya, 17, p. 203.
5. Uttara, Ti, p. 103, 6. Brih, Bha, 1. 2886.
281
7. Ura, I, p. 9.
8. Panna, 1. 23. 36.
9. Ibid. 1. 23. 18-9, 26 T. 37-S, 43 fl. Uttara, 30.90 II.
10. Panna, 1.23. 23-5.
11. Ibid. 1, 23, 12-7; Acha, II, 1. S. 266.
12. Naya, I, pp. 3. 10.
23. Ja. I. 143.
