Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c12.s2.t2.46

v1.c12.s2.t2.46

The control which the Central Government exercised over the villages is also seen in the history of the other village offices. The offices of jyōtisha and sthala-purōhita of several villages were conferred by the king in what was called śāsana-paṭṭige. Thus in A.D. 1406 Dēva Rāya granted by means of a śāsana-paṭṭige land (specified) to Narasāvadhāni, for the office of jyōtisha and sthala-purōhita in the villages of Jigaḷe, Kundūru, Harosandra, and other villages belonging to Koṭṭūru-simhāsana in the Uchchangi-vēṇṭhe.² As servants of the king, these officials are to be distinguished from the hereditary dignitaries of the village, who, in accordance with the professed aim of the monarchs to preserve the ancient custom of the land, were allowed to continue in their offices with the sanction and approval of the Government.