In Imagining the Urban, Shonaleeka Kaul turns to Sanskrit literature to discover the characteristics8212;both physical and social8212;of ancient Indian cities. Kaul examines nearly a thousand years of Sanskrit kavyas to see what India8217;s early historic cities were like as living, lived-in, entities8212;and discovers that the cities were vibrant and teeming with variety and life. 160; As much about Sanskrit literature as about urban spaces8212;insofar as that literature reveals significant aspects of the Indian urban past8212; Imagining the Urban shows that Sanskrit literature is a rich source for historical understanding. Advocating the160; kavyas as an important historical source, Kaul provides a fresh view of the early city, showing distinctive ways of thought and behavior that relate to tradition, morality, and authority. 160; With its provocative new questions about early Indian cities and ancient Indian texts, this book will be an essential read for scholars of urban history, Sanskrit writings, and South Asian antiquity.