Consider the following statements regarding the administrative machinery and coinage of the Gupta Empire: 1. The gold coins issued by Gupta monarchs, known as dinaras, exhibited high artistic refinement and portrayed kings engaged in martial or ritual activities. 2. The administrative units of the empire were hierarchically organized, with provinces termed bhuktis headed by officers called uparikas. 3. Land revenue collection at the village level was managed exclusively by central bureaucrats, completely bypassing local bodies and village assemblies. Which of the statements given above are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statements 1 and 2 are correct since Gupta dinaras are celebrated for depicting rulers playing the veena, hunting lions, or performing horse sacrifices, and provincial administration was indeed managed by bhuktis under uparikas. Statement 3 is incorrect because village administration relied heavily on local hereditary functionaries and assemblies such as the mahattaras and village elders, rather than direct bureaucratic interference. Epigraphic records like the Damodarpur copper plates illustrate how local councils actively participated in land transactions and revenue management.