Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Consider the following statements regarding Indian Feudalism in the early medieval period: 1. The revenue assignments were called Bhoga. 2. The hereditary chiefs neither collected revenues nor assumed administrative powers. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
Indian feudalism (c. 600–1200 CE) was characterized by the granting of land revenue rights to officials and priests, leading to the fragmentation of political authority.Explanation
Bhoga was the term used for the enjoyment of periodic land revenue assignments or 'use-rights' granted by kings. Unlike full ownership, it gave the grantee the right to collect taxes from a specific area.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct. Bhoga was a standard term for these feudal assignments in early medieval inscriptions.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is incorrect. The very essence of being a hereditary chief (Samanta) was the right to collect revenue and exercise administrative/judicial power over their specific territory.