Temples became massive economic corporations during this period. Endowed with vast tracts of tax-free land by kings and feudatories, temples acted as landlords themselves. They employed thousands of priests, administrators, artisans, and agricultural laborers, functioning as centers of rural credit and agrarian expansion. The construction of massive, monumental temples was not merely an act of piety but a grand display of political power and a means for rulers to claim divine sanction for their authority in a highly competitive and fragmented political landscape.
⭐ While I cannot provide a direct download link for copyrighted materials, you can typically find this book through: Early Medieval Indian Society Rs Sharma Pdf Download -
: These "donees" (land recipients) gained administrative and judicial rights, weakening central authority. Peasant Subjection The construction of massive, monumental temples was not
Sharma examines how the traditional varna system adjusted to this new hierarchy, leading to a proliferation of castes and the absorption of tribal groups into the lower orders of Hindu society. Table of Contents Summary Table of Contents Summary : Sharma links these
: Sharma links these changes to the "Kali Age" crisis, where the traditional Varna system was challenged, leading the state to use land grants to re-establish control. Sage Journals Early Medieval Indian Society (pb) - Google Books
