Uthiramerur Inscriptions

Why in news?

• The Prime Minister mentioned about the Uttaramerur Inscription in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ episode.

About Uthiramerur inscriptions:

• The Uttaramerur inscription is dated around 920 A.D. in the reign of Parantaka Chola.
•  It testifies to the historical fact that nearly 1,100 years ago, a village had an elaborate and highly refined electoral system and even a written constitution prescribing the mode of elections.
• The details of this system of elective village democracy are inscribed on the walls of the village assembly (grama sabha mandapa), a rectangular structure made of granite slabs.

Details in the inscription:

• The inscription gives astonishing details about the constitution of wards, the qualification of candidates standing for elections, the disqualification norms, the mode of election, the constitution of committees with elected members, the functions of those committees, the power to remove the wrongdoer, etc.
• The villagers even had the right to recall the elected representatives if they failed in their duty.
• In fact, inscriptions on temple walls in several parts of Tamil Nadu refer to village assemblies.
• But it is at Uttaramerur on the walls of the village assembly (mandapa) itself that we have the earliest inscriptions with complete information about how the elected village assembly functioned.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Uthiramerur Inscriptions gives a detailed account on:    

(a) Processing of waste in the ancient cities

(b) Scholars who worked for Chola Empire

(c) Forest resources consumed during Sangam age

(d) System of election prevailed in village assembly

Answer