UPSC Prelims 2014 Q21: Medieval History – Medieval Administration & Socio - Economic Institutions
In medieval India, the designations 'Mahattara' and 'Pattakila' were used for
- (a) military officers
- (b) village headmen
- (c) specialists in Vedic rituals
- (d) chiefs of craft guilds
Answer: (b) village headmen
Explanation
Mahattara and Pattakila
In early medieval India, both words meant the village headman.
| Term | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mahattara | Village elder or headman | Common in land-grant inscriptions |
| Pattakila | Village headman | The later word Patel comes from it |
Other village and local terms:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gramika, Gramani | Village headman in earlier periods |
| Vishayapati | Head of a district (vishaya) |
| Shreni | Guild of craftsmen or merchants |
| Samanta | Feudatory chief |
The options checked: they were not military officers, specialists in Vedic rituals or chiefs of craft guilds.
Answer: (b) village headmen.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. These were not designations of military officers.
- (b) CORRECT. Mahattara and Pattakila were designations of village headmen.
- (c) Incorrect. Specialists in Vedic rituals were called by names such as hotri and adhvaryu.
- (d) Incorrect. Chiefs of craft guilds were called jetthaka or shreshthi.
Key point
Mahattara and Pattakila: village headmen in early medieval inscriptions; Pattakila is the root of 'Patel'.
Remember
Mahattara, Pattakila = village headmen.
Common mistakes
- Guessing military rank from the grand sound of 'Mahattara'.
- Not hearing Patel in Pattakila.
- Confusing village headmen with guild heads.
Exam tip
Pattakila sounds like Patel, and a Patel is a village headman.
Sources
- Upinder Singh — A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India (Early medieval rural society)
- R.S. Sharma — Indian Feudalism