Consider the following statements regarding the socio-religious and administrative institutions of medieval Kerala: 1. The Urn-udaiyavar or Uralar constituted the managing body of temple trustees and brahmin landlords who controlled temple properties and temple-centered settlements. 2. The Kuttam represented regional assemblies of commoners and warriors that exercised moral and political checks on royal authority. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Uralar were temple trustees managing devaswom lands and administrative affairs, while Kuttam denoted popular assemblies functioning during the early and medieval periods in Kerala to deliberate on public matters. Both statements correctly describe traditional institutional structures. Temple corporations (devaswoms) emerged as massive economic and social hubs during the Kulasekhara period. The decentralization of power gave local Brahmin associations extensive administrative autonomy.