Write 3 assemblies of southern kingdoms
Answers
Changes in the Army:
Some of the kings continued to maintain a well organized army. A new trend also emerged during this period. Some military leaders maintained an army and provided the army to the king when required. Such military leaders did not get salary. But they got grants in the form of land. They also got the right to collect land revenue. The revenue was utilized to maintain the soldiers, horses and battle equipments. Such military leaders were known as samanthas. When a ruler became weak, a Samantha tried to become independent.
Assemblies in the Southern Kingdoms:
The assembly of Brahmin landowners was called the sabha. Such assemblies functioned through various sub-assemblies. The sub-assemblies looked after different aspects; like irrigation, road construction, farming operations, temple construction, etc.
The assembly of non-brahmin landowners was called the ur. The organization of merchants was called the nagaram. Usually, these assemblies were controlled by rich merchants and landowners. Such local assemblies survived for centuries in south India.
Life of Ordinary People
While most of the authors and poets sand hosannas about the kings, some of them also mentioned about ordinary people. Many stories, plays and poems tell us about the life of common people.
Sanskrit had become the language of the kings and the Brahmins. Prakrit was the language of ordinary men and women.
Condition of Untouchables: Fa Xian had written about the condition of untouchables in India during that time. People who were not allowed to mix with mainstream society were considered as untouchables.
According to Fa Xian; when an untouchable person entered the village he needed to warn others about his presence. He constantly beat a stick to the ground to alert others. This ensured that people could avoid coming anywhere close to him. The untouchable lived outside the city or the village.
Some of the kings continued to maintain a well organized army. A new
trend also emerged during this period. Some military leaders maintained an army and provided the army to the king when required. Such military leaders did not get salary. But they got grants in the form of land. They also got the right to collect land revenue. The revenue was utilized to maintain the soldiers, horses and battle equipments. Such military leaders were known as samanthas. When a ruler became weak, a Samantha tried to become independent.
Assemblies in the Southern Kingdoms:
The assembly of Brahmin landowners was called the sabha. Such assemblies functioned through various sub-assemblies. The sub-assemblies looked after different aspects; like irrigation, road construction, farming operations, temple construction, etc.
The assembly of non-brahmin landowners was called the ur. The organization of merchants was called the nagaram. Usually, these assemblies were controlled by rich merchants and landowners. Such local assemblies survived for centuries in south India.
Life of Ordinary People
While most of the authors and poets sand hosannas about the kings, some of them also mentioned about ordinary people. Many stories, plays and poems tell us about the life of common people.
Sanskrit had become the language of the kings and the Brahmins. Prakrit was the language of ordinary men and women.
Condition of Untouchables: Fa Xian had written about the condition of untouchables in India during that time. People who were not allowed to mix with mainstream society were considered as untouchables.
According to Fa Xian; when an untouchable person entered the village he needed to warn others about his presence. He constantly beat a stick to the ground to alert others. This ensured that people could avoid coming anywhere close to him. The untouchable lived outside the city or the village.