Correct Option
The correct option is (a) 1 only.
Explanation
In the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, particularly during the period of the Mahajanapadas and the Second Urbanisation, the village headman was known as the Grama bhojaka. This official served as the primary intermediary between the King and the rural population.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The post of the Grama bhojaka was usually hereditary. Men from the same family held the position for generations. He was typically the largest landowner in the village and possessed enough resources to employ slaves and hired workers to cultivate his land.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Grama bhojaka was not prohibited from exercising authority; rather, he was quite powerful. The King often utilized him to collect taxes from the village. Furthermore, he functioned as a judge and sometimes as a policeman to maintain law and order at the local level.
Key Takeaway: The Grama bhojaka was a powerful, hereditary village headman in ancient northern India who performed revenue collection, judicial, and police functions on behalf of the King.