History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.s2.8

v1.c14.s2.8

The kingdom seems to have been divided into districts which were called Rājyas. The Madavarājya and Kramarājya so often mentioned in the Tarangaṇī were clearly divisions of Kashmir and their chief officers were usually king's relatives for they are often called Rājas also. There were no Tehsils or Parganas as are now called below the Rājya but the usual revenue unit was the village. Village officers are not mentioned, but there must have been the usual ones. The heads of villages appear to be generally Dāmaras, a warlike and turbulent race which required often to be kept in check by severe punishments such as impalement or śūlāropaṇa. But they often also supplied peasant voluntary armies to the king. The revenue of the state must have been derived in kind.