Part 14 - Streets of Vārāṇasī

Though found in a much disturbed condition, excavation reveals existence of many roads and lanes. Road 1 runs north-south and the buildings were erected on both sides of the road. It appears to be a main road of Vārāṇasī. It runs in the middle of the settlement. Side lanes also ran between houses. They either join the main thoroughfare or ran parallel to it. The sizes of these lanes were sufficient for the free movement of small vehicles. The other lane numbered 4 runs parallel to road 1. This was joined by lane 3 too. Because it was less wide was perhaps used by pedestrians.

Findings at Vārāṇasī are fully in tune with the prescriptions of the ancient treatises. According to Mānasāra even in a village settlement there should be at least three or even five carriage roads. The width of the carriage road should be one to five danḍa. All other small streets may or may not be equal to the carriage roads in the interior of the settlement.^[1] Even the Arthaśāstra suggests that roads should be four danḍas wide. But royal highways of important towns like Droṇamukha or Sthāniya should be as wide as eight danḍas.^[2]

Another road numbered 2 runs east-west parallel to the Gaṅgā. On the one side there are row of single rooms, most probably shops. The road was made of small brick bats, thoroughly rammed with clay. This was probably a road located in an official area where on the one side there were the shops and on the other side large commercial and official buildings stood.