The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c16.48

c16.48

Harsha emulated Vikramâditya in his zeal for fulfilling the duties of an Indian King of Kings, as laid down in the most ancient Hindu codes of law, and in the great Aryan epics—the science of government which every youthful Indian aristocrat was taught as the Dharma of his caste. The imperial revenue, according to ancient Aryan custom, was derived first from the cultivation of the Crown lands, a certain proportion of the common lands of the Aryan community which belonged to the Kings of Kings by right. They were leased out at a fixed rent, reckoned upon the produce¹; the cultivation being superintended by one of the imperial officers. The next source of revenue was the *vali*, or customary offering, which was due from every village to the Râja or the head of its tribe. The latter had also a share of the common lands for the maintenance of himself and his retinue, and passed on to the Mahâ-Râja—the head of a confederation of tribes—the proportion of the vali due to him. The vali payable by a village was generally reckoned at one-sixth of the agricultural produce. Mines, and also the manufactures derived from them, were an imperial monopoly; but they were sometimes leased to private persons in payment of rent and royalties. Subsidiary revenue was derived from duties on pearls, corals, shells, salt, and tolls upon other merchandise collected by a Department of Commerce, which fixed prices and arranged suitable markets. A Department of Navigation and Fisheries controlled the traffic by sea and river, collected harbour dues, ferry tolls, and a vali of one-sixth upon the fisheries. Forests were also included in the imperial domains; special officers were in charge of their conservation, and supervised the cutting of timber and the use of it for defensive and other purposes. Elephant forests were specially protected. Two other very important departments were those of Irrigation and Roads, for the chief function of the Head of the State, after the charge of military defence and the administration of justice, was to provide for and keep in order public reservoirs and other irrigation works, to maintain the King’s highway, and protect travellers upon it.¹