Origin of feudalism in India can be traced back to the brahamdeya land grants made to the Brahmans. The practice was sanctioned by the injunctions made in the religious texts which extolled the merits of granting land to the Brahmans. Practice of such grants existed even in the pre Mauryan period. In the initial period the grantee was allowed to enjoy the benefits of the grant but its administrative control remained with the King. However, in later period, specifically since the post Mauryan period, these grants involved transfer of administrative rights along with the land. First reference of giving up the test series for IAS of administrative rights was seen in the grants made in the second century A.D. by the Satavahana ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni to the Buddhist monks. The land granted to them could not be entered by the King’s soldiers or disturbed by the government officials. However, even this grant mentioned transfer of King’s control over salt indicating that the King retained certain other sources of revenue. However, in later period, from time of Pravarsena II Vaaktaka in the fifth century A.D. the transfer was complete including pastures and hidden treasures and deposits perhaps implying mines. Growth of Indian feudalism has a dichotomy with the period. During the period from 750 A.D. to about 1200 A.D., there had been a decline in trade commerce as can be inferred from the diminished use of coins. Decline of trade has also been stated to be one of the reasons for growth of self sufficient village economy as decline in trade forced the artisans to leave the towns and migrate to the villages which could provide livelihood though at subsistence level. This self sufficient economy sustained itself for centuries and was not affected by the Muslim rule of the country, as these rulers though opposed to Brahmans and polytheism, were not inclined to disturb the existing mode of production. When we are going to give IAS Test we need all the types of history information and collect most important knowledge about our history and their peoples. By the Gupta period, the practice had become so prevalent that even the feudatories started making such grants. In some of these, the residents including cultivators were not only asked to pay their customary dues to the done, they were asked to obey their command as well. At this stage, the Kings retained their power to punish criminals or dispense justice. Later these powers were also transferred to the donees and their grants were referred as abhyantarsidhhi and sa-danda-das-apradha, underlining the power of donees to settle internal disputes or punish criminals. This created a class of brahaman feudatories who ruled their pockets independent of royal officers.
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