Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c11.103

c11.103

Sometimes the temple authorities acted as protectors of the interests of the temple tenants, and it was through them that the temple tenants and other people in the locality represented their grievances to the government when the government officers pursued an oppressive policy. According to an inscription of the time of Dēva Rāya II at Tiruvorriyūr, the Māhēśvaras of the temple complained to the king that the tenants, servants, and other residents of the village owned by the temple had been much distressed by the imposition of taxes such as jōḍi, mugampārvai, aṅgaśālai, sambādam and viśeṣadāyam, and also by the lease system introduced by government officers for adoption by the trustees. Thereupon it was ordered by the king that the above taxes together with the ariśikāṇam, good bull, good cow, veṭṭi and kaṭṭāyam should thereafter be collected by the Māhēśvaras of the temple, and that the leased lands already paid for be redeemed by money received from the royal treasurer.⁷⁰