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VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Land grants in the Gupta period: Agrarian transformation, ideological legitimation and administrative change
Authors
Dr. Preeti Prabhat
Abstract
The Gupta period (c. fourth to sixth century CE)
marks a crucial phase in the socio-economic and political history of early
India. One of the most significant developments of this era was the widespread
practice of land grants issued by rulers to Brahmanas, religious institutions,
officials, and occasionally military personnel. These grants, recorded
primarily in copper-plate charters and stone inscriptions, transferred not only
land but also fiscal privileges and administrative rights to the beneficiaries.
The institution of land grants played a transformative role in the agrarian
economy by encouraging agricultural expansion, restructuring rural authority,
and strengthening Brahmanical ideology. This paper examines the origin, nature,
and implications of land grants in the Gupta period through a detailed analysis
of epigraphic evidence and historiographical interpretations. It discusses the
legal categories of land grants, the privileges associated with them, and their
impact on rural society, religious institutions, and political administration.
The study also explores the role of land grants in the spread of Brahmanical
culture and the integration of frontier regions into the agrarian system.
Furthermore, it analyzes the historiographical debate surrounding the
relationship between Gupta land grants and the emergence of early medieval
socio-economic structures, including the theory of Indian feudalism. By
situating Gupta land grants within the broader context of early Indian agrarian
history, this paper highlights their significance as an institution that
reshaped economic relations and political authority in early India.
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Pages:131-133
How to cite this article:
Dr. Preeti Prabhat "Land grants in the Gupta period: Agrarian transformation, ideological legitimation and administrative change". International Journal of Advanced Education
, Vol 2, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 131-133
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