Correct option is D
The correct answer is (d) Brahmins.
In post-Gupta society, especially from the 6th century onwards, Brahmins gained significant social and economic importance due to extensive land grants made by kings and local rulers.
These grants were often tax-free and made to promote Brahmanical learning, rituals, and to consolidate political authority by aligning with religious elites.
Information Booster:
Land grants were recorded on copper plates and sometimes included administrative rights over villages.
These donations often exempted Brahmins from paying land revenue, strengthening their economic power.
Brahmins used this land to establish temples, educational institutions (gurukuls), and became intermediaries between rulers and rural populations.
The practice was rooted in the dharma-based legitimacy kings sought by donating land to Brahmins.
This trend contributed to the feudalization of Indian society during the early medieval period.
Additional Information (Why Other Options Are Incorrect):
(A) Shudras: Continued to remain largely marginalized; they did not receive land grants.
(B) Kshatriyas: While politically powerful, they were usually the donors, not the beneficiaries, of land grants.
(C) Vaishyas: Involved in trade and agriculture, but they were not primary recipients of religious land grants during this period.
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