Local Government in Ancient India c13.123

c13.123

The temple-properties and offerings assigned by the public were naturally of various forms and kinds and required diverse talent for their proper administration. A regular bureaucracy of officers was created for the work. Thus we read in the inscriptions of the *padipādamūlattār*, ‘those that attend on the sacred feet of God’, the *tiruvuṇṇāligai-uḍaiyār* or *sabhaiyār*, ‘those in charge of the sacred inside of a temple’; *danmakaṭṭalaiyār*, ‘those in charge of organized charities’; *tirukkoyiluḍaiyār*, ‘those in charge of the sacred precincts of the temple’; *devakanmigal*, ‘temple servants’; *upāsakas*; *Māheśvaras*; *Śrīvaiṣṇavas*; *devar-manṟāḍigal* or *devar-iḍaiccanar*, ‘the shepherds of the temple’ &c. There seems to have been a separate assembly for the management of the temple (called *pariḍai* in no. 98 of *S. I. I.*, vol. II, part V). Another inscription refers to a gift to a temple of Śrīraṅgam to be administered by the ‘temple authorities’ which include, *(a)* members of the committee of Śrīvaiṣṇavas, *(b)* members of the committee of the temple treasury, *(c)* the accountants of the assembly of the place, and *(d)* the accountant of the Śrīvaiṣṇavas. No. 157 of 1913 gives the complement of the temple staff as comprising worshippers, accountants, Purohitas, goldsmiths, dancing girls, painters, men who ring the bell, makers of garlands, watchmen, the blower of the conch and torch-bearer. No. 66 (*S. I. I.*, vol. II, part III) gives as the temple staff, dancing masters, musicians, drummers, singers, accountants, parasolbearers, lamplighters, watermen, potters, washermen, barbers, astrologers, tailors, one brazier, carpenters, one goldsmith and others. No. 264 of 1913 uses the term *sthānattār* for the temple officials and servants. Sometimes the temple was managed by the Sabhā itself. In no. 85 of 1896 we find the Mahāsabhā being given charge of the temple which they proceed to administer by appointing special officers, two *vāriyārs* and one *karaṇattān* (accountant). Sometimes the Sabhā and the temple committee co-operated in managing the affairs of the temple. No. 64 of Sewell's list (in his *Antiquities*) records an agreement of both authorizing their accountant to collect taxes from the people for the temple. No. 49 of 1913 refers to a committee of inquiry into temple affairs which comprised Māheśvaras, Sthānikas (the name of a rural officer mentioned even in the *Kauṭilīya*) and merchants. But the commonest ground of connexion and co-operation between the two authorities, arose from the fact that the Sabhā was generally entrusted with the administration of the numerous trust-properties of which the temple was the beneficiary. No. 69 (*S. I. I.*, vol. II, part III) shows that the villages undertook responsibility for supplying different kinds of labour or services for the temple such as those of watchmen, treasurers (who were to be Brāhmans rich in land, capital and connexions), Brahmacārins and accountants.