What was the nature and role of local association in the Pallava and South Indian polity? Comment in 600 words.
Answer (1)
Student Expert
5th Apr, 2020
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A characteristic feature of south Indian polity, especially Pallavan, was the importance of local,corporate units in most important aspects of the lives of people.
The local groups were abundant in number based on caste, craft, profession or religious persuasion and their occupation consisted that of handicraftsmen like the weavers, oil pressers etc., of merchants like the Nanadesis, the Manigramam and the Five Hundred of Ayyavole, of students, of ascetics, of temple priests, etc with three important territorial assemblies: ur which was a non-brahmanical village assembly
, sabha was a village assembly consisting only of brahmanasand and nagaram was an assembly where merchantile interests predominated with an inclination towards agricultural interests . There was an annual meeting held for the members of an assembly, a smaller executive body used to take care of daily tasks. Every individual group functioned independently in accordance with its own constitution based on custom and usage, and
paid heed to the problems of its members at the local level. In case of matters concerning people of more than one assembly or association, decision was taken by mutual deliberation.
Local administration through the corporate units to a large extent lightened the burden of the government. The populace were given opportunity to air its grievances and problems, Pallava kings never tried to encroach upon the functioning of the local autonomous corporate groups.
A characteristic feature of south Indian polity, especially Pallavan, was the importance of local,corporate units in most important aspects of the lives of people.
The local groups were abundant in number based on caste, craft, profession or religious persuasion and their occupation consisted that of handicraftsmen like the weavers, oil pressers etc., of merchants like the Nanadesis, the Manigramam and the Five Hundred of Ayyavole, of students, of ascetics, of temple priests, etc with three important territorial assemblies: ur which was a non-brahmanical village assembly
, sabha was a village assembly consisting only of brahmanasand and nagaram was an assembly where merchantile interests predominated with an inclination towards agricultural interests . There was an annual meeting held for the members of an assembly, a smaller executive body used to take care of daily tasks. Every individual group functioned independently in accordance with its own constitution based on custom and usage, and
paid heed to the problems of its members at the local level. In case of matters concerning people of more than one assembly or association, decision was taken by mutual deliberation.
Local administration through the corporate units to a large extent lightened the burden of the government. The populace were given opportunity to air its grievances and problems, Pallava kings never tried to encroach upon the functioning of the local autonomous corporate groups.
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