Chola period saw the decentralization of administration, for administration at various levels, several types of lands divided, some of them were-
- Associations of traders known as Nagarams occasionally performed administrative functions in towns.
- Settlements of peasants, known as Ur.
- Groups of rich villages formed larger units called Nadu.
- Brahmadeya(land grants to brahmans) was looked after by an assembly known as Sabha of prominent Brahmana landholders.