Glimpses of Ancient Indian Town Planning for Building Modern Heritage Cities

Abstract

Ancient Indians had a good architectural knowledge that is evident from the various temples, palaces, forts and other monuments seen spread all around the country. With vast urban population and pilgrim centers, the knowledge of town planning was to be very effective and the ancient Indians enunciated the rules of town planning in their ancient architectural treatises. Glimpses of these features are also to be found in earlier archaeological finds, texts belonging to the Vedic, Epic and Purānic periods. The features of various cities and town planning aspects dealt in these texts are first briefly described that serve as a model for developing Modern Heritage cities. Since hundred Indian cities are soon going to be developed as ‘Smart-Cities’, it would be apt and imperative to discuss the concept of Heritage-Cities as well. Just as the Smart-Cities would be the torchbearers of future growth; Heritage-Cities connect us to our glorious past. Thus, in this paper, humble efforts are made to identify and recognize the valuable factors that contribute to enhance the charm of Heritage-Cities giving a brief overview of earlier Town planning features from ancient Indian texts. Ancient Indians had a well planned system of building villages, towns, intricate drainage, water supply systems, markets, palaces, households and public spaces that are evident from archeological and literary sources. The features mentioned in Vedic, epic and post-Vedic literature could serve as a model for modern town planning, for harmonious living with nature.