Then as now, India was a land of villages, each with its headman and panchayat (council of elders). Officials of the central government supervised groups of villages and organized irrigation systerms.

• 过去的印度同现在一样，都是由一个个的村庄组成，每个村都有自己的首领和五人长老会，中央政府的官员们只负责监督村一级，并组织兴修水利。