In Medival India, the designations 'Mahattara' and 'Pattakila' were used for
Contents12
- Amilitary officers
- Bvillage officers
- Cspecialists in Vedic rituals
- Dchiefs of craft guilds
Show answer
Answer: (B) village officers
'Mahattara' (village elder) and 'Pattakila' (village headman) were titles given to village-level officers in medieval India.
Think of them as local administrators who managed day-to-day village affairs — collecting revenue, settling minor disputes, etc.
They had nothing to do with the army, Vedic rituals, or craft guilds.
Source: 'Administrative System in India' by U.B. Singh, p.47.
Village administration formed the backbone of medieval Indian governance, with Mahattara and Pattakila serving as key local officials who collected revenue and managed daily affairs.
UPSC tests village administration to check if students understand that medieval Indian states relied on local officers rather than direct central control for most governance functions.
Village Administration in Medieval India
Ancient And Medieval History Mahattara Pattakila
Village Administration in Medieval India: Officers & Functions
Mahattara = village elder, Pattakila = village headman in medieval India
Both were village-level officers, not military/religious/guild officials
Managed revenue collection, dispute settlement, and local governance
What Were These Roles?
Medieval Indian villages needed local administrators to handle day-to-day governance without constant royal intervention. Mahattara and Pattakila were such village officers who served as the link between villagers and higher authorities.
Key Village Officers
Designation | Meaning | Primary Functions | Selection Method |
|---|---|---|---|
Mahattara | Village elder | Revenue collection, dispute resolution | Usually hereditary or by village consensus |
Pattakila | Village headman | Administrative oversight, record keeping | Appointed by higher authorities |
Gramani | Village chief | Overall village leadership | Traditional/hereditary role |
Grama Bhojaka | Village administrator | Tax collection, law and order | Government appointed |
Functions of Village Officers
Revenue collection from agricultural produce and land taxes
Dispute settlement for minor conflicts between villagers
Record maintenance of land holdings, births, deaths
Communication link between village and district/provincial administration
Local justice administration for petty crimes and civil matters
Question Context
This question tests knowledge of medieval administrative terminology. The key is recognizing that both terms refer specifically to village-level governance, not military, religious, or economic guild functions.
Trap: Mahattara sounds military-like but refers to village elders, not army officers
Trap: Pattakila might seem related to crafts but is purely administrative
Confusion: Don't mix village officers with guild chiefs (shreni-pati) or military commanders (senapati)
UPSC loves testing administrative terminology - memorize the exact designations
Administrative Hierarchy in Medieval India
Ancient And Medieval History
Administrative Hierarchy in Medieval India: Central to Village Level
Medieval administration had 4-5 tiers: Central → Provincial → District → Village
Village level was the foundation with hereditary and appointed officers
Revenue collection flowed upward through this hierarchy
Administrative Structure
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Central Level**
**Sultan/Emperor** with ministers (wazir, diwan)`"]
s2["`**Provincial Level**
**Governor/Subahdar** managing large territories`"]
s3["`**District Level**
**Faujdar/Amil** for law & order, revenue collection`"]
s4["`**Pargana Level**
**Shiqdar/Amin** supervising group of villages`"]
s5["`**Village Level**
**Mahattara/Pattakila** managing local affairs`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4
s4 --> s5Village Administration Officers
# Village Officers
## Administrative
- Mahattara (elder)
- Pattakila (headman)
- Gramani (chief)
## Revenue
- Patwari (record keeper)
- Chaudhuri (tax collector)
- Qanungo (assessor)
## Security
- Kotwal (police chief)
- Chaukidar (watchman)
## Judicial
- Panchayat members
- Village arbitratorsDon't confuse village officers with central ministers like Wazir or Diwan
Pargana level officers supervised villages but weren't village officers themselves
UPSC often mixes designations across different periods - stick to medieval terminology
Other Medieval Administrative Designations
Ancient And Medieval History military officers specialists in Vedic rituals chiefs of craft guilds
Medieval Administrative Designations: Military, Religious & Guild Officials
Military officers: Khan, Amir, Sipahsalar, Faujdar for army command
Religious officials: Shaikh-ul-Islam, Qazi, Purohit for spiritual/legal matters
Guild chiefs: Shreni-pati, Setthi for merchant/craft organizations
Administrative Categories
Category | Key Designations | Primary Functions | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
Military Officers | Khan, Amir, Sipahsalar, Faujdar | Army command, defense, warfare | Bahlul Khan (Delhi Sultan), Faujdar of Mathura |
Religious Officials | Shaikh-ul-Islam, Qazi, Purohit | Religious law, spiritual guidance | Qazi of Delhi, Court Purohit |
Guild Chiefs | Shreni-pati, Setthi, Mahajan | Trade regulation, craft supervision | Cloth merchants' guild leader |
Village Officers | Mahattara, Pattakila, Gramani | Local administration, revenue | Village headman in Rajasthan |
Military Designations
Sipahsalar - Commander-in-chief of the army
Faujdar - Military commander of a district or fort
Khan - High military rank, often hereditary title
Amir - Military noble with territorial command
Mansabdar - Mughal military officer with specific rank (zat/sawar)
Guild System Officials
Shreni-pati - Head of a merchant or craft guild
Setthi - Wealthy merchant leader, guild financier
Mahajan - President of merchant association
Nagaraseth - Chief merchant of a city or town
Don't assume similar-sounding names belong to the same category
Faujdar was military but also had some revenue functions - context matters
Religious designations varied between Hindu and Muslim administrations
UPSC tests exact terminology - Mahattara ≠ Mansabdar despite both starting with 'Ma'