Part 1 - The Nodal Points and Early Human Activities

Summary: Survey of the Geographical horizon of the Nodal Points and Early Human Activities.

In our attempt to find out the genesis and growth of demographic nodal centres in the early historic phase from 6^th century BCE to the Gupta times our first select zone is Rājagṛha-Nālandā, the capital area of the ancient Magadha kingdom, corresponding roughly to modern South Bihar, essentially reflects the general urban mood, visible in many other urban points in contemporary middle Gaṅgā plains. It may be fruitful to analyse the geographical setting of the area. The middle Gaṅgā plains stretching from Gaṅgā-Yamunā confluence at Allahabad to Rajmahal hills covers an area of 160000 sq. Km forms a homogenous geographical unit. Leaving aside scholarly criteria for urbanity, assemblage of sizeable fortified sites was detected all over northern India, particularly in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains. In most cases these were identified as capitals of newly emerged territorial states or mahājanapadas of the early historic period. “They sat atop integrated networks of settlement graded by size and their range of functions.”^[1] These settlements grew by sharing the same settlement logic and shared the same location. So they qualify^[4] as a cultural unit.^[2] Among them those with monumental remains like fortification or impressive structural remnants drew the attention of the archaeologists. Oldest batch of cities occurring in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains were Atranjikhera, Rajghat (Vārāṇasī), Kauśāmbī, Śrāvastī in Uttar Pradesh and Rājagṛha, Campā, Pāṭaliputra, Vaiśālī in Bihar. One thing common about them that they all were capitals or administrative headquarters of newly emerged territorial states. Our first select zone Rājagṛha-Nālandā located in the modern Nalanda district at south Bihar earned its fame as the early Magadhan capital under the house of Haryaṅkas and its chief cultural satellite, later converted into a Buddhist academic site and an administrative subdivision. We see this evolution from the early historical phase stretched from the 6^th century BCE to the phase of Neolithic-Chalcolithic to the Gupta period with urbanity at its height. However the beginning or foundation of this process started in the prehistoric times and we began our survey from the Neolithic-Chalcolithic times.

A general survey of the pre historic conditions in the broad geological zone helps in forming an idea of the cultural context that is a prerequisite of urbanisation. This cultural scene provides an insight to the human endeavour to adjust with the geographical conditions, to identify and exploit available resources and to settle down on a permanent basis with the prospect of sustaining with available resources. So the necessary preparation for economic and social set up took place in those early times that served as a strong base for the urban growth in the later times. In this whole event human factor occupied the central position in providing the link between natural and socio-economic factors. After all, without the human intervention resources can never be converted into economic terms. Society is the sum of the humans and settlements are basically population centres. So the human factor is the main theme of the whole discourse.

Settlements as active population centres grew up quite early in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains. Around 5^th millennium BCE at least two hundred seasonal Mesolithic sites sprang up on the banks of lakes in the district of Pratapgarh in eastern UP. A vast Neolithic Chalcolithic horizon was found in the Middle Gaṅgā plains. They unravelled a rich material culture. The legacy from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic settlers contributed to the development of material life in the pre-NBPW and later sites.^[3] More than a dozen of Chalcolithic complexes were located in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains. Neolithic sites are also not scarce either. To name a few, Taradih, Maner, Chirand, Chechar Kutubpur, Senuwar and Oriup in Bihar and Koldihwa, Mahagara, Manigara, Tokwa in the Vindhyan area and Lahuradewa in UP are important Neolithic sites.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

G. Erdosy, “City states of North India and Pakistan at the time of the Buddha”, in F.R. Allchin ed, The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia, Cambridge, 1995, p, 109–110.

[2]:

Nupur Dasgupta, Settlement Patterns in Early History: Querriesand Evidence, Chittabrata Palit, ed, Urbanisation in India: Past and Present, Nisith Ranjan Ray Centenary Volume, Kolkata, Institute of Historical Studies, 2009, p. 9.

[3]:

R. S. Sharma, Material Background of the Genesis of the State and Complex Society in the Middle Gangetic Plains, in Bhairavi Prasad Sahu ed, Iron and Social Change in Early India, Oxford University Press, 2006, p.151.

[4]:

Indian Archaeology, 1987- 88: A Review, ASI, New Delhi, 1993, pp.11-12.