In the political organisation of the Vedic period, which two popular assemblies are most frequently mentioned together as important institutions?

Introduction / Context:
The Vedic period in ancient India had a distinctive political structure. Rather than centralised empires, early Vedic society was organised into tribes and clans with various assemblies that took part in decision making. Two such bodies, repeatedly mentioned in the Rigveda and later texts, are the Sabha and the Samiti. Understanding these assemblies is crucial for questions on early Indian polity. This question checks whether you know which pair of institutions is considered the most important in the context of Vedic political life.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question focuses on popular assemblies during the Vedic period.
• We are asked to identify the correct pair of well known assemblies.
• Options present various combinations such as Sabha, Samiti, Mahasabha and others.
• We assume the standard interpretation used in school and competitive exam texts.

Concept / Approach:
The Sabha and the Samiti are repeatedly mentioned in Vedic literature. The Sabha is often described as a smaller, more select council of elders or nobles, while the Samiti is a larger general assembly of the tribe. Together, they formed an important part of tribal government, advising the ruler and participating in decisions on war, peace and religious matters. Terms like Mahasabha or Ganasabha are either later developments or less significant in this context. Therefore, the approach is to recall the standard pair Sabha and Samiti as the key Vedic assemblies.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question relates to early Vedic political institutions. Step 2: Recall that two main assemblies of this period, often studied together, are called Sabha and Samiti. Step 3: Remember that the Sabha functioned like a council of elders, while the Samiti represented the general tribal assembly. Step 4: Compare this with other combinations like Mahasabha or Ganasabha, which are not given equal prominence in early Vedic texts. Step 5: Select the option that lists Sabha and Samiti together as the pair of popular assemblies.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on ancient Indian history routinely mention Sabha and Samiti as the two main assemblies of the Rigvedic age. Diagrams showing Vedic political institutions usually place these two bodies alongside the king. Commentary on Vedic hymns also refers to Sabha and Samiti as important fora where matters of the tribe were discussed. Since no other pair of assemblies receives similar emphasis in the sources, cross checking quickly confirms that Sabha and Samiti is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option B: Sabha and Mahasabha is not the standard pair mentioned for the Vedic period.
• Option C: Mahasabha and Ganasabha may appear in other contexts but are not the main Vedic assemblies.
• Option D: Ur and Kula relate more to south Indian local institutions in later periods, not to Vedic tribal councils.
• Option E: Gana and Sangha are associated with republican states in the later Mahajanapada period, not with early Vedic polity.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes get confused because many Indian political institutions across different ages share similar sounding names. The key is to associate Sabha and Samiti specifically with the Vedic period and with the tribal monarchical system. Gana and Sangha should be linked with later republican states, and Ur and Sabha with local administration in southern kingdoms. Creating a simple chart that maps these institutions to time periods helps reduce such confusion in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Sabha and Samiti.