Nagaram
Explanation
The Chola administration is historically significant for its highly organized system of local self-government. Specific assemblies were established to manage the administrative, judicial, and financial affairs of different types of settlements.
- Nagaram: This was an assembly of merchants and traders found in towns and commercial centers. It was responsible for administrative functions within the town, including the regulation of trade and the collection of taxes. In some cases, the Nagaram also managed charitable endowments and temples.
- Sabha: This was an assembly exclusively of Brahmins in Brahmadeya villages (lands granted to Brahmins). It functioned through a complex system of committees known as Variyams to manage irrigation, gardens, and temples.
- Ur: This was the general assembly of the local residents (tax-paying landholders) in non-Brahmin villages (often referred to as Vellanvagai).
- Khalsa: This term is unrelated to Chola administration. It historically refers to the collective body of initiated Sikhs or, in the context of Mughal administration, to crown lands (Khalisa) where revenue went directly to the imperial treasury.
Key Takeaway: In the Chola administrative structure, the Nagaram served as the governing body for mercantile interests in towns, distinct from the agrarian assemblies of the Ur and Sabha.