LAND TENURES IN THE VIJAYANAGAR ADMINIS­TRATION

LAND TENURES IN THE VIJAYANAGAR ADMINIS­TRATION There were three broad categories of land tenures during the Vijayanagar rule: amara, bhandaravada and manya.

Amara villages granted to the amaranayaks by the Vijayanagar rulers were the largest category of land tenure. The amaranayak lacked proprietary rights in land and enjoyed privileges over its income only. 75 per cent of all the villages came under this category.

The bhandaravada was a crown village. It was the smallest category of land tenure. A part of its income was used to maintain the forts of the empire.
The manya villages were tax-free villages whose income was used to maintain brahmans, temples and mathas. The period witnessed a great increase in devadana grants, con­ferred on temples, made by the state as compared to other grants.