Kamashastra Discourse (Life in Ancient India)
by Nidheesh Kannan B. | 2018 | 52,434 words
This page relates ‘Southern Scenario’ of the study on Kamashastra representing the discipline of Kama (i.e., ‘sensual pleasure’). The Kamasutra of Vatsyayana from the 4th century is one of the most authoratitive Sanskrit texts belonging this genre. This study focusses on the vision of life of ancient India reflected in Kamashastra.
2. Southern Scenario
The urbanization happened not only in northern parts, but southern India also.
“In South India, the second (or strictly speaking, the earliest) urbanization is represented by its end phases, evidence of its spread appearing at slightly different chronological points in the Deccan, the Andhra region and the Tamil country. In the extreme south, i.e., Tamil country (including modern Kerala), the effects of this urbanization were only indirectly felt. Visible clues to the contrastive urban experience of this region are the striking absence of trade networks, lack of organizational coherence (i.e. guilds) and the nature of Tamil polity. No less evident is the absence of a dominant religious ideology. The key to the understanding of these differences lay in the distinctive socio-economic milieu of the eco-system called the Tiṇai, within which the emergence of towns and the pace of urbanization have to be viewed” (Champakalakshmi R.,1996: 25-26).
Tamil literature provides sufficient information about the south Indian urbanization.
“Undoubtedly the most remarkable description of an ancient Indian city is contained in the early Tamil poem The garland of Madhurai (Madhuraikkāṇji) said to have been written in honor of a 2nd century Pāṇḍyan king Nedunjeliyan [Neḍuñjeḷiyan] but probably composed a century or two later. After a long panegyric on the king, the poet describes the various regions of his kingdom, and concludes with an account of his capital city, Madhura. The ancient Indian city was a source of pride to its inhabitants. One of the most memorable records of such pride is contained in the 5th century Mandasor inscription of the guild of silk-weavers. This commemorates the building and subsequent repair by the guild of a splendid temple of the Sun. A poem recording the event was composed “with great care” by one Vatsabhaṭṭi, probably a local hack-poet commissioned for the occasion, and was engraved on stone as a perpetual memorial” (Basham A. L., 1986: 205, 207).
The inscription is designed in long 24 Sanskrit verses contained description about a well planned city and the luxurious lifespan of people inhabited there in detail[1].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
For a detailed reading and the full inscription see Sripathi Avasthi, 2006: 133-151