The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c21.122

c21.122

The division of a territory into provinces, districts and even lower administrative areas is another noticeable feature of the Hindu system at least from the Mauryan period onwards. Some of the provinces were governed by princes of the blood and others by men drawn from a sort of ruling class. The tenures of offices were generally long. The employment of feudatories in high office, the practice of payment through grants of land, the occasional hereditary transmission of offices and the practical restriction of all high offices to a small class gave a deep feudal tinge to the whole administration. But that was only part of the order of the day. So long as the central power was not assailed by enemies and was wielded by capable hands, it could make itself felt.