Political History of Northern India

SR No.: 001744
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Gulabchandra Chaudhary
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 482
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, & Culture
File Size: 10 MB

Page 391

STATE AND ADMINISTRATION
361 The term Bhukti : In a small kingdom like that of the Cāhamãnas of Nadol or Jalor we find a peculiar unit of administration which is known as bhukti. This term is used there in the sense which hardly means a province. Certain Jain inscriptions from Nadol show that the personal property of the members of the royal family was called bhukti and the official designation of the proprietor of the bhukti was bhokta. Sometimes more than one prince governed the same bhukti conjointly. Thus Rājaputra Lakhaņapāla and Abhayapāla are known to have been the bhokty's of Siāņava and Samanaka.2 Instances of bhuktis being assigned to queens are also obtained. Thus Jalhanādevī, the queen of Kelhaņadeva, is said to have enjoyed one such bhukti.3 It seems that the princes governed their bhukti personally, while the queens might have done it through their agents. The personal property of the king was known as rājakiya bhoga or svabhoga.5 Thus the Sandera Jain inscription of Kelhaņadeva, dated V.E. 1221, informs us that the queen mother Ananadevi donated some corn out of the king's estate.
Some other peculiar units like dvadaśaka, and caurāsi were a kind of estates held by the princes. Thus Nādol Jain copper plate grant informs us that Rājaputra Kīrtipāla had received a group of 12 villages to rule from his father and elder brother.? IX. The City Administration:
The capital of the king and some other important towns of the kingdom had their own administration. In the capital the king's orders mostly regulated the administration. But usual administration was under a committee whose chairman was puradhyaksa. Certain religious towns had also committees for their management. Thus, we know that under the purădhyaksa Garda the religious city of Devapațțana was managed. The purădhyaksa was assisted by a number of officers in his administration. The protectors of city were known as nagara-rakşakas,' who worked under the warden of the city, sometimes called as talara. The city warden's post was considered as an important one. Thus we know that Jagadeva, a favourite
1 EI., XI, pp. 49, 50; Jain Lekha-sangraha, I, p. 231. ? Ibid., Jain Lekha-sangraha, I, p. 231. 3 Ibid., pp. 51-52; Jain Lekha-sangraha, I, p. 229. 4 Ibid., p. 47: Jain Lekha-sangraha, I, p. 229. 5 IA., 1913, p. 60. & Jain Lekha-sangraha, I, p. 210. ? DV., XV, V. 38. & Samarāicca-kahā, p. 270 ( Ahmedabad ed.) 9 Samarāicca-kahā, p. 270. 46