Chola Empire Administration

During the imperial period, from 850 to 1200 CE, the Chola government was known for its originality and innovation. The Cholas were the first dynasty to attempt, and to a large part succeed, in uniting all of South India under one authority. Although the Chola empire's form and protocols cannot be compared to modern forms of government, the Chola empire's history belongs to a joyful period in their history when great things were accomplished by the government and the people. 

The Chola administrative structure was well-organized and efficient. The king served as the administrative center, and all authority and decisions were delegated to the monarch's renowned velir ministers. The ambalakkarars (local chieftains or panchayat leaders) who were in contact with the recognized ministers were in charge of the field operations. In this article, we will discuss the administration of the Chola Empire and the administration of the Chola dynasty.

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Chola Administration Kingship

The administration was led by the king. The Chola kings and queens were regarded as divine representatives. Temples were built to house their idols. The Chola dynasty was a hereditary monarchy. The Chola royal dynasty maintained the concept that the king's oldest son should take over the throne. The Chola rulers had tremendous rights and privileges, and the heir apparent was known as Yuvaraja. The Chola rulers used titles that reflected their accomplishments. They resided in opulent royal mansions. In their administration, kings were aided by ministers and bureaucrats. The tiger was the regal symbol of Chola rulers.

Provincial Administration

The King is in charge of the central government. The Central Government's administration was overseen by a council of ministers and bureaucrats. The higher-ranking authorities were known as Peruntaram, while the lower-ranking officials were known as Siruntaram.

District Administration

There have been nine provinces in the Chola Empire. Mandalas were another name for them. Viceroy was the title given to the governor of the province. Viceroys were chosen from among the king's family. The Viceroys kept in touch with the Central Government on a regular basis. The king sent commands to the viceroys. They replied to the king on a regular basis. The viceroys were aided in their administrative duties by a vast number of officials.

Administrative Divisions

The Chola administration's success was more dependent on the administrative division's good functioning. Kottams or Valanadus were used to separate each mandalam. The kottams were split into nadus. Each nadu was further subdivided into (Urs) villages, which served as the administration's last unit. The Cholas' governance is recorded in the Uttaramerur inscriptions.

Revenue Administration

Around 1089 CE, Chola monarch Kulottunga conducted a comprehensive resurvey, recording the extents of lands and their valuation, village borders, and common rights within the village, including community pastures. Tax collection (survey) was the responsibility of revenue administration. The Chola administration was acutely aware of the importance of fair and precise tax collection in order to keep the state machinery running. The income records were not extortion guides but meticulously maintained land rights records based on thorough inquiries and accurate surveys, which were kept up-to-date by frequent surveys. 

Many more fields of responsibility were added to the tasks of revenue authorities. They also regulated temple earnings and expenditures. They've also been observed buying land on behalf of local councils. Important papers prepared by local government agencies, such as village councils, were authenticated and verified by them. They were also shown to perform the functions of magistrates. Several municipal entities had the prerogative of collecting tolls and other imposts in addition to the central government's levy. The king was given a portion of the earnings. The remainder was spent on public works projects such as the construction of roads, tanks, the army, and temples.

Chola Administration Military

The Cholas possessed a well-equipped army and fleet. Elephants, cavalry, and infantry made up the Chola army. Soldiers were properly trained. Commanders benefited from the Nayak and senapathis grades. There were 70 regiments in the army. 60,000 elephants belonged to the Chola arm. To bolster the cavalry, expensive Arabian horses were acquired. At Kandalur salai, the Chola rulers vanquished the Cheras. Ceylon's and Maldives' rulers were also vanquished. In South India, the Chola navy was powerful. The Cholas ruled the coastlines of Coromandal and Malabar with the assistance of their fleet. The Bay of Bengal was transformed into Chola Lake. The Chola army and navy had a combined strength of 1,50,000 well-trained soldiers.

Chola Administration Justice

The chief justice was the Chola king. The Chola rulers took adequate care of the legal system. The village assembly was in charge of judicial administration at the local level. The local assembly heard minor disagreements. Disputes were resolved via the use of adequate evidence. Village assemblies had a lot of power when it came to resolving local problems. The court authorities handed out punishments. The monarch himself presided over the trials of severe crimes and big cases.

Chola Local Self-Government

The local self-government of Cholas at the district, town, and village levels was the most significant aspect of the Chola administration. The Chola administration is well-represented in the Uttaramerur inscriptions. The Chola administrative system was characterized by its village autonomy.

Nadu

The Cholas' Nadu was one of their most significant administrative units. Representative assemblies existed in Nadus. The nadus' heads were known as Nattars. Nadu's council was known as nattavai. Agriculture was supported by Nattavais and Nattars representatives. They were also in charge of people's safety and tax collection.

Administration of Chola Dynasty

The king was a benign tyrant and ultimate commander. When representations were made to him, his role in administration consisted of providing oral instructions to relevant subordinates. Such commands were written down in great detail in inscriptions, which were frequently found on temple walls. The accurate records of them were kept by a particular sort of official known as Tirumandira Olai Nayagam, who quickly wrote the spoken commands on palm leaf manuscripts.

Council of Ministers

Although the names of individual ministers are discovered in the inscriptions, there is no definitive proof of the existence of a council to ministers or other officers related to the central government. A formidable bureaucracy aided the king in his administrative responsibilities and in carrying out his instructions. Because there was no legislature or legislative system in the contemporary sense, the fairness of the king's instructions was based on the man's virtue and belief in Dharma - a feeling of fairness and justice. The ancient community did not expect the government to provide much more than general protection. Even disputes were only brought to the attention of the court's officials as a last resort.

Bureaucracy

The Chola bureaucracy was quite similar to its contemporaries. What set it apart, though, was its meticulous organization. Non-interference in local governance was sacred, and a delicate balance between central control and local freedom was maintained. The bureaucracy had a clear structure, and officials' tenure was solely determined by the 'Crown's pleasure.' Marayan and Adigarigal were among the titles held by the authorities. Qualifying titles such as Perundanam and Sirutanam were used to show seniority within the same cadre. Revenue officials, who were in charge of the government's collections and expenditures, were one of the most significant of these officers.

Chola Village Administration

The village assembly, known as the Grama Sabha, was in charge of the whole local administration. The village was the lowest level of the Chola government. Peace and security, tanks, roads, public ponds, revenue collection, judiciary, education, and temples were all handled by village assemblies. Village assemblies were responsible for paying taxes owed to the treasury from the villages. They regulated public markets and aided people during floods and fathine. Assembly measures for education were made. The village assemblies had complete control over the affairs of the villages. Every village is kept in order by them. Chaturvedi Mangalam was the name of a Brahmin settlement.

The Chola government was known for its originality and innovation. The administrative structure was well-organized and efficient. Rulers had tremendous rights and privileges, and the heir apparent was known as Yuvaraja. The Cholas possessed a well-equipped army and fleet. They meticulously maintained land rights records based on thorough inquiries and accurate surveys, which were kept up-to-date by frequent surveys. The Chola administration was acutely aware of the importance of fair and precise tax collection.