Nattar
The institution of the nattar was well-defined. It was in charge of all matters pertaining to a village, including water-management.[1] It was noted that: "If ruling class is taken to mean those with the power and authority to manage community resources, then the nattar was this class in Tamil country".[2]
Description
Ceremonial establishments of brahmin villages in the nadus to pursue dharmic ends were important in effecting links beyond the nadu. The brahmadeyas of different nadus created a network of ritual specialists and in doing so fortified the standing of the nattar upon whose patronage this depended.[3]
Nattar as a political body was recognized by the Pallavas and Pandyas. The Pallava and Pandya copper plates regarding grants of land had nattars mentioned in them.[4][5]
References
- Ecole pratique des hautes études. Contributions to Indian Sociology.
- Irfan Habib; Tapan Raychaudhuri; Dharma Kumar; Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai. The Cambridge Economic History of India.
- TJ Byres & Harbans Mukhia. Feudalism and Non-European Societies.
- Cadambi Minakshi (1938). Administration and social life under the Pallavas.
- B. Sheikh Ali & H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy (1990). Essays on Indian History and Culture.