Uttaramerur Inscription [UPSC Notes]

While discussing India’s democratic history, the Prime Minister referred to the Uttaramerur inscription. What is Uttaramerur inscription? What does it signify? To what period does the Uttaramerur inscription belong? Read on for answers to these questions. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam history segment of GS paper I.

Uttaramerur Inscription

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• It is an inscription which dates back 1100 years.
• Though ‘Uttaramerur’ has several inscriptions, the most famous one (which is referred to by the PM of India) was created under the rule of Chola king Parantaka I and details the methods of self-governance in villages.
• It has been praised by both historians and political leaders as a testament to India’s democratic history, as it offers a comprehensive account of the village’s self-governance.

What does the Uttaramerur inscription say?

The inscription also talks about the selection process for members, their qualifications, duties, responsibilities, and even the situations in which they could be dismissed from their positions.

• The sabha was a group of Brahmins with specialized committees assigned to various tasks.
• Formation of Sabhas:
  • The inscription provides information about how the local sabha, or village assembly, operated.
  • The inscription outlines the formation of the sabha by stating that 30 wards will be established and each ward will select one representative to attend the village assembly.
• Qualification of members:
  • The inscription outlines the qualification for a representative, which includes,
    • owning land and a house
    • being between the ages of 35 and 70
    • possessing knowledge of mantras and Brahmanas from the Vedic corpus
    • being skilled in business
    • in addition, the inscription underscores the significance of moral behaviour.
  • An exception can be made for land ownership if the person has learned at least one Veda and four Bhashyas.
• Disqualification:
  • The inscription enumerates several criteria that would make someone and their family ineligible for consideration, with a systematic listing of all their relations.
    • It includes not having submitted accounts during prior committee service,
    • committing any of the first four of the five ‘great sins’ (namely killing a Brahman, drinking alcohol, theft, and adultery),
    • being associated with outcasts, and 
    • consuming ‘forbidden’ dishes.
• Selection process:
  • Once all those who are eligible and willing have inscribed their names on palm leaf tickets, a representative is selected through an elaborate drawing of lots conducted by priests in the inner hall of the assembly building.
• Responsibilities:
  • The inscription outlines various important committees in the sabha, each with its specific duties. These include 
    • garden committee
    • tank committee
    • annual committee (which required prior experience and knowledge)
    • the committee for the supervision of justice
    • the gold committee (in charge of the village temple’s gold)
    • the five-fold committee (with an unclear role)
  • Committee members served for 360 days before retiring.
  • Any member implicated in wrongdoing or discrepancies in accounts would be immediately removed from the committee, including those who committed crimes such as forgery, or rode a donkey as punishment.

Is this an example of democracy?

• Not a genuinely democratic system:
  • The membership of the sabha is limited to a small group of Brahmans who own land, 
  • True elections did not take place, instead, members are selected from a pool of eligible candidates by a lottery system.
• A precedent for democratic functioning:
  • It does not mean that the inscription cannot serve as a precedent for democratic functioning.
  • The concept of democracy, as we understand it today, is relatively new.
  • For instance, the United States, often viewed as a model liberal democracy, did not grant universal adult suffrage to its population until 1965.
• Rule of law:
  • The Uttaramerur inscription illustrates a system of self-governance at the local level, which operates independently of the king’s direct control.
  • Similar to a constitution, the inscription delineates the duties of sabha members and also sets boundaries on their powers.
  • The Uttaramerur inscription depicts a system of governance that upholds the rule of law, which is a crucial feature of democracy, instead of personal dictates.

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