State and Government in Ancient India c23.s6.16

c23.s6.16

The Maṇḍalas were usually divided into Valanāḍus and the latter into Nāḍus, which were also known as Kurrams and Kottams. Between the Nāḍu and the village was the division known as Melāgram, theoretically consisting of 50 villages. Epigraphs, however, refer to Sthalas consisting of 53, 26, 14 or 11 villages.