State and Government in Ancient India c20.234

c20.234

Treasuries in ancient Indian states were of two types, public and secret. The locality of the latter was known only to a select few and it could not be normally touched. At the time of the foundation of Vijayanagar, the Minister Vidyāraṇya is stared to have buried for the king a treasury consisting of 96 crores of Varāhas. The figure may be an exaggerated one but there can be no doubt that such treasuries did exist in most the ancient Indian states. The other type of the treasury may be conveniently called the public treasury, the contents of which were entered into the usual state documents and could be utilised at any time for normal current expenditure.