CBSE Class 7 Answered

Towns grew around temples due to the following reasons:

• Since lands were endowed or gifted by the state to the temples, whole set of people were required to look after the lands.
• Temples acted as small units as it requires priests, cooks (to prepare ‘prasad’), attendants, musicians, dancers etc. All these people made their homes around temples.
• Famous temples were visited by the people coming from far off places. As a result, various art and craft like bronze images, handicrafts developed near the temples. Thus artist and sculptors settled near the temples as selling these articles to the people coming form far off places earned them good revenues.The money earned was used by the temples authoroties in financing and banking. Thus, many traders and merchants also settled around in the temple towns.
  
• These temples became a social, cultural, economic hub. As a result, many towns developed around them.