Monarchy :
The Pallavas had followed the system of monarchy. The king was the head of the kingdom. Hereditary succession to the throne had been in practice. Normally, the eldest son would be the next ruler. The Paliava kings had considered themselves as the representatives of God. They had assumed many titles like Maharaja, Maharajathi Raja and Dharma Rajathiraja. These titles indicate the imperial power of the Pallava kings. The Pallava kings had also claimed a divine origin.
Council of Ministers :
There was an efficient Council of Ministers in the Pallava kingdom. The Ministers were known as Amatyas. They were given titles such as Uthamaseelan, Brahmarajan and Peraraiyan. The Minister carried out the orders of the king. They had also rendered their co-operation and service to the king in all matters of administration. Besides the Council of Ministers, there were many officials to look after each department of the Pallava administration.
Judiciary :
There were three types of courts in the Pallava kingdom. The highest judicial organization was called Dharmasena. The king acted as its head. The courts in the towns were known as Adikarnas. The village courts were called as Karnas. The village Sabhas also acted as courts in settling the civil disputes in the villages. Punishments were not cruel and harsh. Fines were also imposed along with punishment.
Army :
The Pallavas had possessed a strong and big army. There were four divisions in the army. They were infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots. The cavalry played a vital role in the wars. The Pallavas also had a Navy. We have already noted that Narasimhavarman I had sent two naval expeditions to Sri Lanka.
Revenue :
Land tax was the main source of income to the government. There were also other taxes. The copperplates and inscriptions of the Pallavas mention eighteen kinds of taxes. The number of lakes, tanks, wells, rivers and trees were counted for the purposes of taxation. Taxes were known by different names such as Kaanam, Irai, Paatam, and Poochi. For example, the term Kusakaanam refers to the tax on potters and Than Irai to the tax on weavers. Taxes were also levied on oil-pressers, toddy-tapers, washer men, goldsmiths and cattle-breeders. The chief items of expenditure of the government were the royal court, public works and temple grants. An officer called as Kumaranpandaram managed the royal palace.
Local administration :
The existence and the functioning of the local bodies constitute an important aspect of the Pallava administration. Already mention is made about the administrative units called Nadu and Oor. The respective committees had administered these divisions. The committee of Nadu was known as Naattar. They carried out the king’s orders and looked after the administration of Nadu.
The Sabha or Committee in each Oor or Village was in charge of the village administration. The members of Oor Sabha were known as Perumakkal. Each Sabha was divided into separate committees called Vaariyams. Each Vaariyams had looked after the administration of temple, irrigation tanks and village gardens. Thus, the village administration was well organized during the Pallava rule. It can be said that the Pallavas had laid the foundation for the future expansion of village administration during the Later Cholas
PALLAVA ART
Four distinct stages of architecture can be gleaned from the Pallava temples. The first is the Mahendra style. The influence of the cave style of architecture is to be seen in an ancient pillar engraved in the Ekambaranatha (Kanchipuram) temple. The second is the Mamalla style. The seven Pagodas are small temples, each of which is hewn out of a single rock boulder. They lie near Mahabalipura Mahabalipuram, founded by Narasimhavarman. These monolithic temples are complete with all the details of an ordinary temples and stand as an undying testimony to the superb quality of the Pallava art. The third is the Rajasimha style. The most famous temple of this style is the kailasha style. The most famous temple of this style is the Kailasha temple of kanchi. It has a pyramidal tower, a flat-roofed mandapam and a series of cells surround it resembling rathas. This style is a very elaborate one foreshadowing the ornate Chola architecuture. The fourth is the Aparajita style. This is more ornate resembling the Chola architecture. A few temples built in the style are found at Dalavanur. The note worthy feature of some shrines is that they are aborned by beautiful life-like images of Pallava kings and their queens. All told they are unique in the history of temple architecture.
Pallava sculpture owed more to the Buddhist tradition. On the whole it is more monumental and linear in form, thus avoiding the typical ornamentation of the Deccan sculpture. The free standing temples at Aithole and Badami in the Deccan and the Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram in the Tamil country, provided a better background for sculpture than the rock-cut temples. And the Pallava sculpture was monumental and linear in form resembling the Gupta sculpture. Although the basic form was derived from the older tradition, the end result clearly reflected its local genius.
Now for literature it has been recently proved that Bharavi and Dandin lived in the Pallava court. Bharavi's Kiratarjuniyam and Dandin's Dashakumaracharita were the two masterpieces. One of Dandin's poems was written with such skill that when read normally it gives the story of the Ramayana; and whe read in reverse, the study of Mahabharata. Dandin was the author of a standard work on poetics. Till the eight century Pallava influence was predominant in Cambodia. Saivism was the of ficial form of worship. And the Pallava type of sikhara is to be found in the temples of Java, Cambodia and Annam. This dissemination of Hindu culture proves that it was dynamic till 1,000 A.D. in southern India.
Thus, the Pallavas rendered invaluable service to the country both within and without as they were one of the torch bearers of Hindu civilization to south-east Asia. Far more singular is their contribution to architecture-transforming the architecture and suculpture from wood to stone. Smith opines that this grat disparimmense length of the course of Indian history, and the extreme slowness with which changes have been effeated.
