With reference to the administration of Harsha’s empire, consider the following statements:

1. The administrative system became more feudal and decentralized compared to the Gupta period.

2. Harsha is credited with paying his officers in cash, unlike many of his predecessors.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Statement 1 is Correct: Harsha's administration was indeed more feudal and decentralized than that of the Guptas. Harsha governed through a network of tributary chiefs and "Samantas" (feudal lords) who provided military support in exchange for land rights. This paved the way for the full-fledged feudalism seen in the early medieval period.Statement 2 is Incorrect: Harsha did not typically pay his officers in cash. Following the trend of increasing land grants, he followed the practice of granting land (Jagirs) to his high-ranking officials and religious institutions instead of salaries. In fact, the Chinese traveler Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) explicitly noted that "the governors and ministers have all of them a portion of land, and are maintained by it."Comparison: Gupta vs. Harsha AdministrationFeatureGupta AdministrationHarsha's AdministrationCentralizationRelatively CentralizedHighly Decentralized (Feudal)Payment ModeMix of Cash (Gold coins) and LandPrimarily Land GrantsRole of SamantasLimited influenceMassive influence; held military powerBureaucracyElaborate (Kumaramatyas)Less complex; relied on local chiefsHistorical Context from Xuanzang's AccountThe Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang provided a detailed eyewitness account of Harsha’s rule. He mentioned that the royal land was divided into four parts:For government expenses and state worship.For endowment of ministers and high officials (Land as Salary).For rewarding men of great intellectual ability.For acquiring religious merit through gifts to various sects.This confirms that the economy had become less monetized compared to the "Golden Age" of the Guptas, where gold coins (Dinars) were more frequently used for transactions.