were not required to "register their households or attend to any magistrates and their rules". Faxian mentions that wicked repeated rebels had their right hand cut off by the king's administration, but otherwise, there was no corporal punishment for crimes: the criminals were only fined, lightly or heavily, according to the severity of the crime. According to Faxian, the king's bodyguards and attendants all received salaries. Faxian mentions that other than the untouchable Chandalas, the people did not consume meat, intoxicating drinks, onions or garlic. The Chandalas lived apart from other people, and struck a piece of wood to announce their presence when they entered a city or a marketplace: this would enable other people to avoid contact with them. Only the Chandalas engaged in the fisheries and hunting, and sold meat. In the general markets, there were no butchers' shops or alcohol dealers, and the people did not keep pigs or fowl. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, Faxian's observations about the people's food habits seem to have been based on his contact with the Buddhist religious community, and may not be applicable to the general public. Faxian mentions that the people used cowries for buying and selling goods. Faxian mentions the Pataliputra region as the most prosperous part of the Middle Kingdom, describing its people as benevolent and righteous. He describes an annual Buddhist celebration, which involved a procession of 20 grand carts of Buddhas, the Brahmanas's invitation to the Buddhas to enter the city, and music performances. He mentions that in the cities, the Vaishya chiefs had established centres for dispensing charity and medical help to the destitute. These centres attracted the poor, the orphans, the widowers, the childless, the handicapped, and the sick, who were examined by doctors and given food and medicine until they got better. Inscriptions The following inscriptions of Chandragupta have been discovered: Mathura pillar inscription, dated to the year 61 of the Gupta era. The date has been interpreted as c. 380-381 by earlier scholars, but Harry Falk (2004) dates it to 388 (see Period of reign section above). Mathura pillar inscription, undated Udayagiri cave inscription, dated to the year 82 of the Gupta era Udayagiri cave inscription, undated Gadhwa stone inscription, dated to the year 88 of the Gupta era Sanchi stone inscription, dated to the year 93 of the Gupta era Mehrauli iron pillar inscription, undated Coinage Chandragupta continued issuing