Vidatha
Topic: Democracy: Forms of Government, Principles and Outcomes · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 6 "Democracy"
Meaning
The vidatha was the oldest assembly in the Rigveda. It had religious, social and distributive roles, including sharing out goods among members. Women also took part in it. It matters because it shows that the earliest Vedic gatherings included women, not only men.
Example
A Prelims question may list Vedic assemblies and ask which was the oldest and included women. The answer is the vidatha, not the sabha or the samiti.
Don't confuse with
- Sabha: a smaller council of elders that advised the ruler and settled disputes.
- Samiti: the popular assembly of the people, which could influence the choice of king.