Mahattara and Pattakila — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2014 (Medieval India)

In medieval India, the designations ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were used for

1. military officers
2. village headmen
3. specialists in Vedic rituals
4. chiefs of craft guilds

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• In medieval India, the terms ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were designations for village headmen. He has several official duties in the village & acts as a mediator in disputes relating to village or individuals.

Answer: (b) Village headmen; Difficulty Level: Hard