DECENTRALIZED GOVERNANCE IN THE CHOLA EMPIRE: A STUDY ON LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND ITS IMPACT ON SOUTH INDIAN SOCIETY

The expression brahmadeya literally means “Land endowments to Brahmins”. Mostly this kind of endowments consisted of land, originally as rights to a share in the crops of the donated land and, as the institution developed, in administrative rights overthe land endowment. The Brahmadeya grant was regularly recorded and inscribed on an open rock, or on the walls of the temples, on the pillars and on the copper plates. Along with the land gift, other privileges namely, on water resources, exemptions of taxes and other duties were also given in addition to the beneficiaries.