State and Government in Ancient India c23.s4.16

c23.s4.16

Directly administered areas were divided into Rāshṭras and Vishayas, roughly corresponding to modern divisions and districts. The number of villages comprised in a Vishaya varied from 1,000, as in the case of Puṇaka, (the modern Poona), to 4,000 (as in the case of Karhāṭaka, modern Karad). The Vishayas were subdivided into Bhuktis consisting of 50 to 70 villages, and named after the headquarter towns.¹ The Bhuktis were further subdivided into smaller groups of 10 to 20 villages each.² The village itself was the smallest administrative unit.