Page 58 - SST Class 06

headman). He was assigned the duty of collection Welfare Measures
of taxes; maintenance of records of land, births The revenue collected from taxes was spent on
and deaths; law and order; and other aspects.
the royal expenditure, salary and maintenance of
A dharmadhyaksha was responsible to the the army and welfare schemes, like construction
pradeshta (district officer). A pradeshta was a link of roads, canals, inns etc.
between a village and a province. He supervised
Trade and Crafts
the functioning of the villages. The district
administration was run by a board of 30 members, An environment of security and peace encouraged
further divided into five committees, who looked trade and crafts. Besides agriculture, many other
after different aspects of administration. crafts flourished. Patliputra, Ujjain, Taxila,
Baroach etc. were important trade centres. Trade
The provincial administration was looked after by relations with other countries were maintained,
a kumara (governor). The kumaras belonged to the such as with Sri Lanka, China, Rome, Egypt,
royal family. Ashoka himself was a kumara of
central Asia etc.
Taxila and Ujjain before he ascended the throne.
Activity
Army
Compare the modern Cabinet (council of ministers)
The Mauryan kings maintained a large and regular in the central government with the mantriparishad
army. The soldiers were well-equipped and well- of the Mauryan times.
paid. The army was divided into six
divisions—horse-soldiers, chariot soldiers, ART AND ARCHITECTURE
elephant-soldiers, foot soldiers, transport and
navy. The army fought with lances, arrows, bows, The discussion of the Mauryan empire cannot be
swords, armours, shields etc. It was the duty of the complete without a mention of its art and
army to look after law and order problems. architecture. The Mauryan kings paid attention to
this aspect. The royal palace at Patliputra was
Spy System
made of stone and wood. It was a marvellous
One of the important factors which made the piece of architecture in which the king lived a
Mauryan empire successful was the spy system. A lavish lifestyle. Its
large spy network was maintained which worked grandeur can be seen
at all levels and places, including other kingdoms. even today; only wood
It kept the ruler informed of different has decayed with time.
developments in the empire and other kingdoms. The remains of stupas,
pillars and monasteries
Taxation
tell of the glorious past.
Taxation is the chief The caves were carved
source of revenue for a out of rocks and were
ruler. Kautilya mentions used for the monks to Sanchi Stupa
several types of taxes in live.
his book. Land revenue Architecture reached its peak during Ashoka’s
formed the largest part
rule. Ashokan pillars are made of sandstone and
of the tax revenue. The are beautifully polished. They had figures of
farmers had to pay one- animals carved on the top, which are called
sixth to one-fourth of
Kautilya capital. The lion capital at Sarnath has been
their produce as tax, in adopted as the National Emblem of India. It has
cash or kind. Tax was also levied on forests,
four lions seated back to back. The chakra (wheel)
mines, customs, trade, crafts etc. There was no tax
under the lion capital has been adopted in the
for the monks and priests.
middle stripe of our National Flag.
Contemporary Social Science-6
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