Assemblies in the southern kingdoms


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Assemblies in the southern kingdoms

Assemblies  in the Southern Kingdoms: 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.

The inscriptions of the Pallavas mention a number of local assemblies. These included the sabha, which was an assembly of Brahmin land Owners. This assembly functioned through sub-committees, which looked after irrigation, agricultural operations, making roads, local temples, etc.

The Ur was a village assembly found in areas where the land owners were not Brahmins. And the nagaram was an Organisation of merchants. It is likely that these assemblies were controlled by rich and powerful landowners and merchants.

Ordinary people in the kingdoms: Our knowledge about the life of the people of the time is drawn mainly from literary works such as Kalidas's plays , Banabhatta's Harshacharita and the accounts of foreign travellers like Fa Xian. Fa Xian mentions about the conditions of the untouchables who lived outside the city.

Kalidasa is known for his plays depicting life in the king’s court. An interesting feature about these plays is that the king and most Brahmins are shown as speaking Sanskrit, while women and men other than the king and Brahmins use prakrit. His most famous play, Abhijnana Shakuntalam, is the story of the love between a king named Dushyanta and a young woman named Shakuntala.

 

Sample Questions
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Question : 1

The assembly of Brahmin landowners was called the _______________

Right Option : B
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Explanation
 
 
 


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