The road from the alleyway to the Rajpath---what a stretch of road now with the'path '! Keeping the path in your grasp means keeping the enemy subdued, this was the policy followed in Mauryan India Apart from the trade and commerce of the country, the road carried the army, the ambassadors, the chariots, the weapons, the war chariots.

So this is an important point in political history.

1) human footpaths, 2) vehicular human traffic, 3) cattle traffic and of course 4) highways.

Rajpath was 4 lanes, 32 feet wide This was used for royal purposes During royal functions, the king's soldiers used to control the crowd of people with open swords The name of this road was Rajpath because it was used in royal functions There were 6 Rajpaths in each city - 3 north-south and 3 east-west.

Also, there were two ways of chariot movement, the "rathya" for the larger chariot and the "rathapatha" for the smaller chariot The "rathya" was 4 rods, 32 feet wide and the "rathapatha" was 5 arathnis, 10 feet wide.

1) Pashupata: 4 artis, that is, 8 feet wide, used for general cattle 2) Mahapushupata: This path was used for large animals 3) Pashupata: This path was 2 artis, that is, 4 feet wide, used for the movement of small animals 4) Kharoshtra: This path was used for the movement of donkeys and camels in all seasons of the year over all lands.

5) Manavata: This path was 2 artis, that is, 4 feet wide, for the movement of people only on foot 6) Aashpata: This path was narrower on foot 7) Chakrapata: This path was meant for the movement of vehicles 8) Merchant path: The above mentioned Chakrapata, Manavata, Aashpata and Kharoshtra paths were also known as "Merchant paths.

" These paths were very long and could be used for all seasons 9) Rashtrapata: 4 Dandas, that is, roads that were 32 feet wide, which went through 10 different places 4) This path was 4 artis, that is, 4 dandas, which was used for the movement of people on foot.

The state had planted shade trees along the route for the travellers to rest, as well as drinking water, and lodging for food and night stay This system was in place even before Ashoka, during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, as evidenced by the "Arthashastra " The state had a watch over the route.

There were also punishments to prevent anyone from obstructing the route.

The way: the amount of the fine or penalty.

Manav Path and Minor Paths: 12 Pans) Mahapashupata: 24 Pans) Hastikshetra Path: 54 Pans) Setupath and Van Path: 600 Pans) Dronamukh Path: 500 Pans 6) Local Path, Rashtra Path, Bibhit Path: 1000 Pans 7) Village Path and Cremation Path: 200 Pans.

Also, anyone digging deeper on the upper course was fined four times the rate of the upper one, thus creating a well-ordered prosperous India during the Mauryan period.

1) Danda Niti in Ancient India: Yogendranath Tarka-Sankhya Vedantatirtha, Prapchavani, 1356 CE) Kautilya Arthashastra: Radhagovinda Basak, General Printers, Calcutta, 1964.