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Administration FROM 300 TO 600 A
Ancient India (HSB654)
Aligarh Muslim University
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ADMINISTRATION FROM 300 TO 600 A.
Two major monarchical powers, the Guptas in North India and the Vakatakas in the Northern and Central parts of the Deccan, ruled for the majority of these three centuries. In different parts of India, there were several other monarchical powers of lesser prominence. The monarchical polity predominated during this time period. In the 4th and early 5th centuries A., the last traces of non-monarchical Ganarajyas can be found. The Lichhvis definitely existed as a Ganarajya in the early 4th century A. in the region of modern Vaishali; however, it later became a part of the Gupta realm and was gradually brought under a monarchical system. A few non-monarchical groups in Central India, Malwa, and Rajasthan were among the powers that paid tribute to Samudragupta and obeyed his orders. These non-monarchical groups are no longer visible in our sources since the last quarter of the fourth century A. They were eventually absorbed into the Gupta empire and brought into the monarchical system.
From around 320 to 500 A., the Gupta rulers dominated North India. The king was unquestionably at the centre of the central administration. The use of grand titles like Maharajadhiraja, Parameshvara, and Paramabhattaraka betrays the Gupta emperor's exalted position. In contrast to the Gupta king, the Vakataka king used the title Maharaja. The image of the Gupta emperor slaying a lion or tiger on coins projected the image of a brave and heroic ruler. The Gupta empire has a distinct tendency to emphasise kings' divinity. Indra, Varuna, Yama, and Kuvera were all associated with Samudragupta. He was also praised as a deity who lived on Earth and as an enigmatic being (achintyapurusha). The depiction of the boar (Varaha), the incarnation of Vishnu, was often preferred by the Gupta rulers, who were devout Vaishnavas. The Gupta ruler was visually projected as the protector of his realm, just as Vishnu in his boar incarnation rescued the earth.
It's difficult to say whether ministers (Mantrin) were appointed in the Gupta or Vakataka domains because there's no concrete evidence. Under Chandragupta II, Virasena Saba served as a Sachiva. He could have served the Gupta emperor as a minister because the term Sachiva was synonymous with Mantri. The Guptas and the Vakataka rulers' inscriptions show a significant increase in administrative positions. The Maha-pratihara was in charge of the palace guards (Pratihara). When the royal court was in session, an officer named Vinayasura announced and escorted visitors to the ruler. Dandanayaka, as previously mentioned, was a prominent officer in the military department. The Senapati is depicted in a more or less similar position in the Vakataka inscriptions. The tendency to introduce different grades in official hierarchy was a prominent feature of military administration during this time period. The Vakataka inscription lists the positions Dandanayaka, Mahadandanayaka, Sarva-dandanayaka, and Maha-sarvadandanayaka in ascending order. The Maha-senapati was similarly placed above the Senapati. Bhatasvapati was the name given to a general officer in infantry and cavalry units, and Katuka was the name given to the officer in charge of an elephant force. From this point forward, a completely new administrative position emerges. He is the Sandivigrahika, the peace (Sandhi) and war (War) functionary (Vigraha). He seems to have been assigned to something called the Department of External Affairs. As one might expect, there was a very senior officer above the Sandhivigrahika, the Maha-sandhivigrahika. The officer known as Danda- pasadhikarna, which denoted the chief of the police force, appears to have been tasked with
maintaining law and order (Basadh seals). Chata and Bhata were given to regular and irregular police forces, respectively. In Western India, near the end of the fifth century A., an administrative position was established to apprehend thieves (Chauroddharanika).
The appointment of high-ranking officers on a hereditary basis was a notable feature of the administrative system at the time. Harishena, the Allahabad Prasasti's composer, was a Maha-dandanayaka, and his father had also served in this capacity. Virasena was also appointed to the position of Sachiva due to hereditary reasons. While Sikharasvami served as a Kumaramatya for Chandragupta II, his son Prithvishena served the next Gupta emperor Kumargupta I in the same capacity. The practise of appointing the same person to different departments is also significant. As the officer in charge of war and peace, a senior military commander, and possibly the officer in charge of the royal kitchen, Harishena held a number of positions. The majority of information on revenue collection and administration comes from contemporary inscriptions, which show the growing number of revenue terms. This could mean that the rulers drew money from more places than ever before. Many new revenue terms begin to appear in copper plate charters, in addition to traditional revenue terms like Share (Bhaga), enjoyment (Bhoga), general tax (Kara), tolls and customs (Sulka). As a result, Udranga most likely referred to a fixed tax on long-term tenants. The majority of the taxes may have been paid in kind, with a smaller amount realised in cash (Hiranya). A cess was levied on the following professions: braziers, cloth makers, armour makers, dyers, weavers, and shoe makers, according to a copper plate from Kathiawad dated 592 A. As a result, the image of rising tax burdens is hard to dismiss. If these are considered customary taxes, the Vakataka records refer to a variety of irregular and non-customary dues imposed on bulls and cows, flowers, grass, hides, and charcoal, as well as taxes on liquor fermentation and salt digging. The Vakataka inscriptions leave no doubt that various forms of forced labour were carried out (Sarva vishti). Blacksmiths, carpenters, barbers, potters, and other similar professional groups may have been subjected to this extra-economic form of coercion. Although the Chinese Pilgrim Fa-Hsien (who travelled in India from 399 to 415 A.) spoke of a very light tax burden, the period under consideration is marked by a high demand for various types of taxes. Fa-Hsien clearly did not paint a complete picture in this regard. The vast Gupta and Vakataka kingdoms were divided into provinces known as Bhukti or Desa, respectively. The provincial governor was appointed directly by the Gupta emperor, who is said to have meditated at his feet. His declared allegiance to the central authority is implied by the expression. The Uparika designation was given to the provincial governor in charge of a bhukti. However, from around 475 A., they were known as Uparika Maharaja, the suffix Maharaja indicating the provincial governor's growing importance at a time when the Gupta central authority was waning.
The Vishaya and Ahara districts were located beneath the province. The district was made up of villages (grama), which were the smallest administrative units. Between the district and the village, however, there were several more levels of administration. The Vithi, Mandala, Patta, Pathaka, and Petha were all names for these structures. The Vishayapati, who had his office at the district headquarters, was the officer in charge of the district (Vishayadhisthanadhikarana). In addition, the district office kept track of local land revenue and transactions. The Pustapala was the official record keeper, while the Kayastha was the official scribe. The incorporation of a few non-governmental persons in the local
Administration FROM 300 TO 600 A
Course: Ancient India (HSB654)
University: Aligarh Muslim University
Recommended for you
Students also viewed
- THE Formation OF THE State
- Territorial States TO Empire - PRE- State TO State
- RISE OF THE Power OF THE INDO- Greeks, Sakas, Parthians AND Kushanas
- Polity OF POST Mauryan Period- Sungas AND Kanvas
- Nature OF Polities AND Their Social Origins IN South India
- Major Political Powers - Palas, Pratiharas AND Rashtrakutas