Indian Epigraphy c16.s5.28

c16.s5.28

In many cases, the grant was made with the statement that the land was given as a property of the gods or of the Brāhmaṇas so that the customary privileges going with such lands remained understood. Thus the Banskhera plate¹ of king Harṣa (606-47 A.D.) simply mentions that a village was granted in favour of two Brāhmaṇas as an *agrahāra* (rent-free holding usually under the possession of Brāhmaṇas) according to the custom governing its acceptance by Brāhmaṇas, and the addressees were requested to approve of the grant and the people of the locality were asked to be obedient to the donees and to pay them the usual dues called *pratyāya* including *tulya-meya* (tolls on commodities sold in the markets), *bhāga* (king’s share of the grains), *bhoga* (periodical offerings), *kara* (tax in kind) and *hiraṇya* (tax in cash), etc.² But most medieval records of North India quote the donees’ privileges elaborately.