Lekhapaddhati

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Lekhapaddhati, also known as Lekhapañcāśikā, is a collection of Sanskrit and later Prakrit documents from 8th to 15th centuries when the Chaulukya rulers governed Gujarat. It was written as a practical guide for drafting many kinds of official papers, such as land grants, treaties, and administrative orders. It served as a reference for court officials and professional scribes and offers a window into how the government worked in medieval Gujarat.

What the text contains
- Economic and social records: templates for selling property, dealing with slavery and duties, and rules for trade accounting and inventory.
- Administrative rules: guidance on taxes, confiscation of lands, and how government officers should behave, including a principle that people should not be harassed or spoken to harshly.
- Personal and family correspondence: models for letters to families, teachers, lovers, and spouses.

Trade and administration in Chaulukya Gujarat
- Five departments of trade: Vyapara Karana (trade), Velakula Karana (harbours), Jalapatha Karana (waterways), Tanka Shala (customs), and Mandapika Karana (mint).
- It explains loans, sureties, and collateral, and the possibility of selling a debtor’s property if dues are not repaid.

Society and slavery
- The text shows slavery as a common feature, including a story of a girl who sold herself to escape invaders and hunger.
- It mentions slave trade between India and West Asia.
- Merchant communities are described as helping the needy with food and clothes.

Origins and language
- The author is unknown. The Sanskrit texts were first collected and edited in 1925 by Chimanlal D. Dalal and Gajanan K. Shrigondekar from about 15th‑century manuscripts.
- The language is a mixed form of Sanskrit, sometimes called Jaina Sanskrit, which some scholars say provides valuable clues about old Gujarat and its administration.

Translations and study
- The work has been translated into English and German, with appendices listing people, places, castes, and a dictionary of vernacular terms to aid understanding.