Q. The term ‘Variyam’ during the Sangam Age signified the:
(a) Revenue-free villages granted to Brahmanas
(b) Unit of revenue yielding territory
(c) Officer-incharge collecting the land revenue
(d) Managing committee of the village assemblies
Ans: (b) Unit of revenue yielding territory
Explanation: In the Sangam Age, a well-known unit of territory yielding tax was a variyam (Vari meant tax). Hence, Option B is correct. The village itself in the Sangam times had two assemblies for managing its affairs, Ambalam or Avai and Manram or Podiyil and an officer-in-charge of collecting the tax from that unit of land was called a Variyar. Brahmadeya (given to Brahmana) was a tax-free land gift either in form of single plot or whole villages donated to Brahmanas in early medieval India. It was initially practiced by the ruling dynasties and was soon followed up by the chiefs, merchants, feudatories, etc.
