Studies in Cola History and Administration c8.34

c8.34

Uttaramērūr for instance would appear to have had a much less elaborate constitution in the Pallava period† than it adopted under the Cōḷa ruler Parāntaka I. As is well known, in the reign of this Cōḷa king, the rules of the assembly underwent two revisions in the course of two years. We may, therefore, conclude that although the type of constitution was to some extent fixed for the *Sabhās* of the Brahmadēyas, still in details such as the age and qualification of the members, the number of committees into which the *Sabhā* was resolved and the method of choice to these committees, there must have been differences from village to village. In the reign of Rājarāja the Sabhā of Tennēri (Chingleput) for instance laid down * that a knowledge of the mantras was essential not only for service in the village-committees but for Sabhā-mārrañjollutal which seems to mean taking part in the deliberations of the assembly, † a requirement very similar to that contained in the Mānūr record of Māraṇ Śaḍaiyaṇ.