In Chola administration, ________ was the assembly in the villages which were inhabited predominantly by the Brahmanas.

The correct answer is Sabha.

In the Chola administrative system, local self-governance played a remarkably important role. The Chola empire developed one of the most sophisticated systems of village-level administration in ancient India, and understanding the different types of village assemblies is key to this topic.

The Chola period recognized three main types of village assemblies, each catering to a different kind of settlement:

1. Ur — This was the general assembly of a common village, consisting of ordinary tax-paying peasant landowners (typically non-Brahmana communities). It handled the day-to-day affairs of regular villages.

2. Sabha (also called Mahasabha) — This was the exclusive assembly of villages that were predominantly inhabited by Brahmanas. Such villages were known as Brahmadeya villages — land grants gifted to Brahmanas. The Sabha was a highly organized body with elected committees called Variyams, which managed specific tasks like overseeing tanks, gardens, and justice.

3. Nagaram — This was the assembly or council of merchants and traders, typically found in towns or commercially active settlements. It managed trade-related matters.

The Sabha was particularly well-documented through inscriptions such as the famous Uttaramerur inscriptions (from Tamil Nadu), which give detailed accounts of how members of the Sabha were elected, the qualifications required, and the various committees that functioned under it. These inscriptions are a testament to how democratically organized and efficient the Sabha was.

Therefore, in Chola administration, the assembly specifically found in villages inhabited predominantly by Brahmanas was the Sabha.