Explanation: With the expansion of agriculture, numerous peasant settlements came up in the countryside.

• They were known as ur. The urar, who were landholders in the village, acted as spokesmen in the ur.
• The urar were entrusted with the upkeep of temples, maintenance of the tanks and managing the water stored in them.
• They also discharged administrative functions of the state such as collection of revenue, maintenance of law and order, and obeying the king’s orders.

Source: Tamil Nadu NCERT