The argument which follows may be understood in the context of two issues of general anthropological relevance. It is a contribution to the study of political stratification and also to the analysis of the relationships between social structure and social organization. At the same time the argument bears on issues peculiar to Western Maharashtra as a distinct region of India. The locality of my investigation, Girvi and Phaltan Taluka, is virtually in the center of Western Maharashtra. It may be assumed that the patterns of political stratification and political alliances found there are illustrative of those occurring throughout the region.

THE LOCALITY: GIRVI AND PHALTAN TALUKA

Girvi is located in Satara District just below the steep north slope of the Mahadev hills in the Nira valley. Consisting of several distinct settlements scattered over an area of twenty square miles (see Map 3, p. 179 and Fig. 2), the village lies along the southern boundary of Phaltan Taluka about six miles from Phaltan town, the taluka headquarters. A motorable dirt road links Girvi proper, the main settlement, to Phaltan and two or three times a day buses of the State Transport Corporation travel from Phaltan to Girvi and back, passing through the neighboring village of Nirgudi on the way. The homes of the residents of Girvi proper together with the principal village temples, the offices of the Panchayat and village co-operative societies, and the market yard are clustered on high ground between two branches of a stream which have their origin in the Mahadev hills a mile or two away.