Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s1.16

c12.s1.16

mārga however ranged from fifteen to thirty cubits. There were resthouses (śālās) between these villages (grāmas), each under an official śalādhipa whose duty it was to afford protection to travellers during nights. Sukrāchārya also mentions the traditional territorial divisions of the rural area, the grāma, ten grāmas, one hundred grāmas, a thousand grāmas and ten thousand grāmas. In texts examined so far no mention was made of a territorial unit larger than that of one thousand grāmas. Sukrāchārya makes a special mention of a group of ten thousand grāmas.¹ These various divisions point to one fact clearly, namely, the existence of an organized local administration. The chief official in charge of these administrative divisions is invariably appointed by the Imperial Department under the samāharta, whose office answers to that of the modern member of finance.² These officials were graded in power, and were responsible to their immediate superiors. Thus the gopa was answerable to the official at the sangrahaṇa, the latter to the official at the kharvāṭika, and so on to the sthānīya who was answerable to the samāharta who was an imperial officer.³