In the context of ancient Indian polity, the 'Gana' or 'Sangha' refers to which of the following forms of government?

💡 Solution & Explanation

In ancient Indian polity, a Gana or Sangha denoted an oligarchy or republic where political authority and sovereignty were vested in an assembly of clan leaders or nobles rather than a single hereditary monarch. Monarchical states of the era were known as Mahajanapadas ruled by kings, whereas tribal republics functioned through public assemblies. Both the Vajji confederacy and the Shakyas operated under the Gana system during the time of the Buddha.