The Rashtrakutas and their Times c17.s1.28

c17.s1.28

From the nature of his duties it is clear that the village headman must normally have been a Kshatriya; the same is the case to-day in the Deccan and Karnatak. His influence with the government was as great as that with the people. Kings never forget to include him among the officers requested not interfere with the enjoyment of the royal grants; we often find him escorting royal ladies to their destination. It seems that he was entitled to receive a certain fee or tax on transfer of lands; even royal transactions were not exceptions from his dues leviable on such occasions.(32) Sukra's observation that the headman of a village protects it from these officers and aggression(33) was perfectly true in our period; he was the head of the village militia and to him the villagers looked for leading the village defence.(34) The headman was, therefore, as much indispensable to the people as to the government.