State and Government in Ancient India c18.s1.7

c18.s1.7

Normally speaking there was only one headman for each village.⁶ His post was usually hereditary, government having the right to nominate another scion of the family if the succession of the son was not approved. By caste, he was usually a non-Brāhmaṇa. He was the leader of the village militia, and therefore he may have often belonged to the Kshatriya caste. Sometimes Vaiśyas too aspired for and obtained the office.⁷