State and Government in Ancient India c18.s1.39

c18.s1.39

Village elders known as *mahattaras* functioned in the Pallava¹ and Vākāṭaka² kingdoms (*c.* 250-550 A.D.), but we do not know whether they had developed a regular council. Inscriptions from Gujarat and Deccan,³ however, show that from *c.* 600 A. D. the village elders used to appoint a formal executive committee of their own, variously known as *mahattarādhikārins* or *adhikārimahattaras*, either expression meaning 'village elders in office or power'. Inscriptions show a similar development in contemporaty Rajputana also, where the executive of the Village Assembly was known as *pañchakula*; it worked under the guidance of a headman known as *mahanta*.⁵ It was undoubtedly a very important body, for donations made even by royal personages were announced in its formal meetings.⁶ Gāhaḍawāla records often refer to the village elders, described as *mahattaras* or *mahattamas*⁷; but we do not know whether they had developed a regular executive council of their own.