State and Government in Ancient India c18.s1.28

c18.s1.28

All respectable householders of the village had thus an inherent right to become the members of the Primary Village Assembly. It is interesting to note that the different terms by which they were known, *mahattamas* in U. P., *mahattaras* in Māhārāshṭra, *mahājanas* in Karnāṭak and *perumakkāl* in Tamil country, all mean the same thing, Great Men of the Village.⁴