Glimpses of the administrative system and land transaction procedure of the Gupta Empire in Bengal as reflected in the Gupta copper plate charters from fifth to sixth-century C.E

Abstract

This paper attempts to presents the administrative system as well as the land management and land transaction procedure of Ancient Bengal (Undivided) from 5th – 6th century C.E. During this period, a huge part of Bengal and some other part of India was ruled by the imperial Gupta rulers. This forms an essential part of Indian history and others. The discussion was made on the basis of the Land grant inscriptions issued by the Gupta rulers. The sources of the imperial Gupta history are of four classes: literary works, inscriptions, coins, and monuments. The inscriptions are the reliable sources of the Guptas. These inscriptions are incised on stone, metal, and in the copper plates. Usually, these inscriptions reflect the entire history of land transaction procedure mainly land sale, donation as well as the administrative system of the contemporary society and social structure of the said period. The donative inscriptions are more on the number. The overall analysis of the land donation charters in the chronological order will help us to observe the changes in the way of writing land grant documents from time to time. These became the invaluable sources for the reconstruction of the history of Bengal. The study is made to evaluate the most effective administrative system of the contemporary period.