4.2. Royal Palaces in ancient India

B. Royal Palaces: Royal palaces were usually very big buildings which accomodated residential quarters as well as offices for carrying the administration of the state. It is said that a king's palace was divided into two parts, the inner apartment (the antahsala of the Manasara) or antahpura which was occupied by the royal harem and the outer apartment where courtyards etc. of public business and the buildings for state purposes were situated. 2 The Paumacariya refers to a number of buildings which can be accounted as follows: meant Inner Apartment:-Aateura Antahpura (110.21) or Gabbhaggiha→ Garbhagraha (80.5) was the inner apartment which consisted of several quarters meant for the royal ladies (Devinabhavanaim 80.6). Suyahara = Sutikagrha (7.91; 26.45) was the confinement room for pregnant woman. Majjanahara-Snanagrha (69. 6) was the bath room. Aharmandava = Aharamandapa (69.13; 77.32; 81.5) was the dining hall. Kilanahara - Kridagrha (70.48) was the sports-house and Pecchahara = Preksagrha (80.5) was the art-gallery or entertainment hall meant for the performances of music, dance and drama. Vitthahara= Vistagrha (74.38) was the lavatory. = Outer Apartment:-Sabhagrha (37.1; 41.62; 49.1; 80.3) or Atthanimandava Asthanamandapa (3.1; 40.2; 70.1) was the council hall where the king consulted with his ministers, councillors and dealt with the administrative and judicial matters of the state³. This hall had a raised pavilion (Mandava) on which the thrones of the king was placed Auhasala-Ayudhasala (70.5) and Sannahamandava (12.82) were the weapon or amunition and equipment houses. Cankamana (80.5)- Cankramana was the raised pavilion meant for the strolling of the king. Garageha (3. 11) was the prison house. Then there were stables for elephants (Sala 80.60), horses (Mandura 28.28) and other animals. The palace was always attached with pleasure resorts and gardens palace there was a big open were provided with tunnels (26.79, 80). Facing the entrance of the courtyard (anganam 68.5). The palaces (Suranga 8.158; Gudhasuranga 10.4.9) which were meant for the safe and secret exit of the people on the occasion of any danger or war or 1. See Harsacarita eka Sumskrtika Adhyayana, p. 204, 213. 2. P. K. Acarya-Indian Architecture, p. 58 vide India in Kaltdasa, p. 247. 3. See Harsacaita era Samskrtka Adhyayana, pp. 126.205.

444 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM emergency. A shrine or a place of worship was also attached to a palace (77.2). The members of the royal family resided in separate houses. Thus there are references to the separate house meant for the various members of royal family viz a king (naravaibhavana 4. 8; 38.29; 63.4), a queen (46.14), a prince (77.23; 110.20), wife of a prince (15.99; 18.5) and princess (15.60; 28.2). The whole royal residence was called Rajabhavana = royal buildings (31.112) or King's Palace.