VERIES CITIES OF ANCIENT INDIA : AN ANALYTICAL SURVEY

Despite finding the scholars being divided in their opinions, the glorious antiquities of ancient India still continue to grow in stature since time immemorial. The rudimentary remnants of hoary tradition and a journey from the ancient, original and enriched nature of Indian culture to Gupta Dynasty with a passage through the epic age amply vouchsafes the very purpose of the article. With the subdivisions of historical ages, the cities in the Indus Valley Civilization with particular emphasis on the twin cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro along with some cardinal Archaeological credentials as well as discoveries have also been amply highlighted. In addition to that, archeologists, anthologists and ancient historians to the calibre of Sir John Marshall, Hieun Tsang, Daya Ram Sahni,Rakhal Das Bandyopadhya, Nani Gopal Mazumdar, E.J.H. Macky together with excavation samples, carbon analysis, pictograph,inscriptions,numismatic testimonies, different chronological references documented the erstwhile town planning, metropolitan civilization, societal pattern, rituals till the approach of the Aryans. The age of Rgveda and Mahabharata with the historical evidences of Epic cities like (1) Hastinapur, (2) Indraparastha, (3)Girivraja,(4)Mathura, (5) Dwarka, (6) Mahismati (7) Pragjyotishpur, (8) Prabhas, (9) Ayodhya, (10) Mithila have been cited alongside. Henceforth the article aims to allude the noteworthy references from Cities in the Period of Sungas&Guptas in reference of the populaces like Puruspur, Sakala, and historically famous provinces like Uttarapatha (including kandharpart) - Taxila ,(2) Avantrirattha (westrn part)- Ujjayini, (3) Dakhahinapatha - Suvarnagiri ,(4) Kalinga - Tosali (orisya) (5) Prachya, Prachina, Pras- Pataliputra. Thus with a renewed mission of rediscovering ancient India in light of the scientific skill and neatly organised enterprise of the erstwhile civilization, the article tends to delineate contemporary town plans, granaries, ports, tradings and prosperous populaces.