Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c12.s2.t2.22

v1.c12.s2.t2.22

Although it is true that the ancient machinery in the villages and nāḍus remained undisturbed to a great extent in the Vijayanagara age, nevertheless we have to admit that the materials discovered so far do not enlighten us on such questions as the differentiation in the functions of the officials appointed by the king or by his viceroys and those employed by the people themselves in the villages. Thus, for example, we are unable to ascertain the duties of a kāryakarta (Agent for the affairs of the Emperor) and those of a pārupatyagāra (Chief Manager of the sīme?). We have already seen that officials called kāryakartas figure to some extent in inscriptions. As regards the other official, we are told that Lakkarāja Timmapayya was the pārupatyagāra in A.D. 1532 over the Būdihāl-sīme.² It is difficult also to decide the relationship between the kāryakarta and the pārupatyagāra on the one hand, and the superintendent over the nāḍu (taṅgal-nāṭṭu-nāyagan-jeyvar) on the other. If one may hazard an explanation of the status of these three kinds of officials, one may suggest that the kāryakarta was the executive officer of the provincial governor who ruled over the rājya; the pārupatyagāra, the official over the sīme; and the superintendent was a dignitary who was in charge of a nāḍu. These three officials may have been appointed by the viceroys on behalf of the king.