Agrarian Society of Thanjavur: Land Ownership, Tenancy and the Life of Peasants under the Cholas
Author : Dr. G Aghalya
Abstract :
The Chola Empire (9th–13th century CE) represents one of the most prosperous agrarian civilizations in South India, with Thanjavur as its political and cultural heart. This paper explores the agrarian structure of Thanjavur during the Chola period, emphasizing land ownership patterns, tenancy systems, and the socio-economic life of peasants. Using inscriptions, land charters, and literary sources, the study investigates how the Chola administration organized land, water, and labour to sustain agricultural productivity and temple-based economies. The research reveals that Chola rulers institutionalized an efficient revenue and irrigation system, empowering village assemblies (sabhas and ur) to manage local agrarian affairs. Land ownership was stratified between royal grants, temple holdings, and peasant cultivators, while tenancy and sharecropping were common. Peasants formed the backbone of the Chola economy, yet their status varied across social strata. The study concludes that Thanjavur’s agrarian system combined centralized royal authority with decentralized village management, ensuring economic stability and cultural flourishing that defined the classical age of South Indian history.
Keywords :
Chola Empire, Agrarian Economy, Land Tenure, Peasants, Thanjavur, Temple Economy.
