Nadu
Topic: Southern Dynasties: Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 5 "State and Society up to 1000 CE"
Meaning
A nadu was a group of villages. It was the unit just above the village (ur) in Chola and earlier Tamil government. Each nadu had its own assembly, the nattar, made up of leading peasant landholders. The nattar collected taxes and settled disputes for the area. Nadus show how much local self-rule there was in the medieval south.
Example
In the Chola kingdom (9th–13th centuries), several urs (villages) formed a nadu. Several nadus formed a valanadu (district), and several valanadus formed a mandalam (province). The nadu assembly worked with the village assemblies on revenue and justice, without waiting for orders from the king for everyday matters.
Don't confuse with
- Valanadu: a bigger unit (a district) made up of several nadus.
- Ur: a single village and its assembly. A nadu is a cluster of urs.