Indian Epigraphy c16.s3.109

c16.s3.109

Among the records from the north-western parts of India, we may refer to the Sungal plate² of king Vidagdha of Chamba, who flourished about the first half of the 11th century A.D. The charter is communicated to the *Rājan*, *Rājānaka*, *Rājaputra*, *Rājāmātya*, *Rājasthānīya*, *Pramātṛ*, *Sarobhaṅga* (*Śarabhaṅga*), *Kumārāmātya*, *Uparika*, *Viṣayapati*, *Nihelapati*, *Kṣetrapa*, *Prāntapāla*, *Hastyaśvoṣṭrabalavyāpṛtaka*, *Dūta*, *Gamāgamika*, *Abhitvaramāṇa*, *Khaśa*, *Kulika*, *Śaulkika*, *Gaulmika*, *Khaṇḍarakṣa* (sometimes called *Khaḍgarakṣa*), *Tarapatika*, *Chatracchāyika*, *Veṭakila*, *Virayātrika*, *Cauroddharaṇika*, *Dāṇḍika*, *Dāṇḍapāśika*, *Bhogapati*, *Viniyuktāka*, *Bhāgika*, *Bhogika*, *Cāṭa*, *Bhaṭa*, etc., and the householders and country people including the Brāhmaṇas at the top down to the Medas, Andhrakas, Dhīvaras (fishermen) and Caṇḍālas. *Nihelapati* is found as *Nihilapati* in the Nirmand plate.³ But the meaning is uncertain. The *Chatracchāyika* was the king’s parasol-bearer and the *Veṭakila* probably the betel-bearer of the king. The latter officer is called *Vārgulika* in the early medieval inscriptions from Orissa.⁴ The *Bhāgika* was probably the collector of the king’s share of the grains from the farmers and was the same as the *Ṣaṣṭhādhikṛta* and *Dhruvādhikaraṇika* or *Dhruvasthānādhikaraṇika* of other inscriptions.