What did Ancient Indian cities ACTUALLY look like?

For many people, Ancient India is faceless -- shapeless. The general public doesn't have a strong understanding of what its prosperous cities would have looked like, or even what sort of facilities the average citizen would use, or what sort of activities the average citizen would engage in.

In this video, we take a closer look at many of the aspects that comprise an Ancient Indian city, from taverns, to toilets, public baths, courtyard houses, restaurants, and more. With the help of our team of architectural historians, we dive deep so that you can get a better sense of life in Ancient Indian cities.

Enjoy!

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Sources:

Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Delhi: Pearson Education India, 2008.
R. S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2005.
John Marshall, Taxila: An Illustrated Account of Archaeological Excavations. Cambridge University Press, 1951.
Romila Thapar, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300. University of California Press, 2003.
Kautilya, Arthashastra, translated by R. Shamasastry. Bangalore: Government Press, 1915.
Megasthenes, Indica (as referenced by Arrian and other later classical authors).
Xuanzang, Records of the Western Regions (as translated in various modern editions).
Bharata Muni, Natya Shastra (translated in various editions).
Alka Pande, The Book of Courtesans: An Anthology of Classical Writings on the Courtesans of India. India: Mapin Publishing, 2015.
James Ferguson, History of Indian and Eastern Architecture. Cambridge University Press, 2013 (originally published in 1910).
John Keay, India: A History. HarperCollins, 2000.
Fa-Hien, A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (translated and edited in modern editions)