Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c11.75

c11.75

Side by side with these were a few communal associations made up of certain professional people. These constituted a political body by themselves and their consent either implied or explicit was sought by the government. They helped to a large extent the local rulers in the administration of the local areas. Thus Mudda Heggade was administering the chief town of Kāp with the help of the assembly, communal and professional associations and subordinate officers.⁵² The terms used to denote them are the gaṇa and paṇa. Gaṇa "is an aggregate of kulas".⁵³ Paṇa is however a sectarian division. An inscription of the 17th century refers to eighteen such paṇas. They are the Vyāvahārikas, Pāñcālas (five sects of smiths), Kumbhālikas (potters), Tantuvāyins (weavers), Vastra-bhedakas (cloth dyers?), Tilaghātakas (oil millers), Kuranṭakas (Kuratakas?—shoe-makers), Vastra-rakṣakas (tailors), Devāngas, Parikeliti (Parikelette vāru?—keepers of pack bulls)