Nayaka System in Vijayanagara Administration

The Nayaka system was a part of the Vijayanagara Administration in South India. It was a system of civil administration that was introduced by the Vijayanagara rulers to manage their vast empire.

The Nayaka system was related to civil servants who were appointed by the Vijayanagara rulers to manage the administration at the local level. The system was similar to the feudal system in Europe, where the king appointed lords to manage the administration in their territories.

Key features of Nayaka System

1. Appointment of Nayakas: The Vijayanagara rulers appointed Nayakas to manage the administration at the local level. The Nayakas were chosen based on their loyalty, administrative skills, and military prowess.

2. Duties of Nayakas: The Nayakas were responsible for maintaining law and order, collecting taxes, and providing justice to the people in their territories.

3. Powers of Nayakas: The Nayakas had considerable powers and autonomy in managing the administration in their territories. They were allowed to maintain their own army and were given the power to impose taxes to meet their expenses.

4. Accountability of Nayakas: The Nayakas were accountable to the Vijayanagara rulers and were required to submit regular reports on the state of affairs in their territories.

Conclusion

The Nayaka system was an important part of the Vijayanagara Administration, which helped in the efficient management of the empire. The system provided a decentralized form of administration, which allowed for greater autonomy and flexibility at the local level. The Nayakas played a crucial role in maintaining law and order, collecting taxes, and providing justice to the people in their territories.

Option (c) is the correct answer.

• The Nayaka system was the system of civil servants. The king was considered the owner of the soil and thus distributed soil to his Nayakas. Each Nayakas was in-charge of a district. Nayaka enjoyed greater freedom in his district and there existed not a system of transfer from one district to another.
• It was a requirement that Nayakas maintain a sufficient number of troops for the king and serve them in his war. It was compulsory for Nayakas to pay fixed annual financial contribution to the imperial exchequer which in accordance to the chronicle of Naniz was generally half revenue.