explain the composition of village society of Southern India during ancient period
Answers
According to Apastamba Dharma Sutra, state officials (Adhyaksas or Adhipals) were to be appointed by the kings for towns and villages with well-defined jurisdictions. In Visnu Smrti, it is written that a chain of officials is to be placed by the king in charge of 1, 10, and 100 villages as well as of the whole rural area. According to Kautilya, three tiers of officials were to be in charge of the rural as well as the urban areas. The Samaharta or the Pradesta was in charge of the janpada or the rural area. Each of its four divisions was entrusted to a Sthanika, and units of five or ten villages were in charge of Gopas.
The officers were primarily concerned with the protection of the lives and property of the subjects. The officer of lower rank was required to report to his superior officer if he failed in the tasks assigned to him. Kautilya reports that the officers were individually responsible for protecting people’s lives, maintaining records of revenues, dues and remissions, and deciding civil and criminal suits at the headquarters of ten, four hundred, and eight hundred villages.