Local Government in Ancient India c13.144

c13.144

Besides land and public works, the assembly controlled the currency through the special department called the gold committee already noticed. There is one inscription giving interesting information regarding some of the operations of the assembly in this regard. On the purity of gold current in the village being doubted the assembly of Uttaramallūr appointed a special committee to inquire into the matter. The committee was appointed by election. It had nine members of whom four were residents from the street called Māḍavidhi, two from the army, and three from the Brāhman quarters (*śaṅkarappāḍi*). The members were to be neither too young nor too old, and were of course expected to be experts in the testing of gold. The committee then proceeded to examine the gold of all the inhabitants, and were instructed not to damage it by rubbing it too much on the touchstone. The gold dust that was obtained from rubbing was received on wax which was made over intact to the tank committee. It may be noted in this connexion that both the temple and the village had treasuries of their own. The up-country treasury is often referred to in the inscriptions (e.g. no. 68, *S. I. I.*, vol. II, part III). We may recall in this connexion the interesting evidence of the issue of coins by the assemblies of northern India.