PEASANTS, ZAMIDARS AND THE STATE

Question 1

THE TERM WHICH INDO PERSIAN SOURCES OF THE MUGHALS PERIOD MOST FREQUENTLY USED TO DENOTE A PEASANT WAS?

Answer 1

RAIYAT (PLURAL, RAIYA) OR MUZARIAN.
IN ADDITION TERM KISAN OR ASAMI WAS ALSO USED.

Question 2

SOURCES OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY REFER TO TWO KINDS OF PEASANTS- KHUD-KASHTA AND PAHI-KASHTA. WHAT DOES THESE TERMS MEAN?

Answer 2

KHUD-KASHTA- WERE RESIDENTS OF VILLAGE IN WHICH THEY HELD THEIR LAND.
PAHI-KASHTA- WERE NON RESIDENT CULTIVATORS WHO BELONGED TO SOME OTHER VILLAGE, BUT CULTIVATED LANDS ELSEWHERE ON A CONTRACTUAL BASIS.

Question 3

BABUR NAMA’S DESCRIPTION OF THE IRRIGATION DEVICES THAT THE EMPEROR OBSERVED IN NORTHERN INDIA?

Answer 3

1. IN LAHORE, DIPALPUR (BOTH IN PRESENT DAY PAKISTAN) ETC, PEOPLE WATER BY MEANS OF A WHEEL.
2. IN AGRA, BAYANA, CHANDWAR (ALL IN PRESENT DAY UTTAR PRADESH), PEOPLE WATER WITH BUCKETS.

Question 4

1. TOBACCO ARRIVED FIRST IN THE DECCAN.
2. AIN-I AKBARI MENTION TOBACCO IN THE LISTS OF THE CROPS IN NORTHERN INDIA.
3. AKBAR AND HIS NOBLES CAME ACROSS TOBACCO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1604. AT THIS TIME HOOKAHS OR CHILLUMS SEEMS TO HAVE CAUGHT ON IN A BIG WAY.
4. AKBAR WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT ITS ADDICTION THAT HE BANNED IT BUT THIS WAS TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.
   TRUE/FALSE.

Answer 4

1. TRUE
2. FALSE, IT DID NOT MENTION TOBACCO.
3. TRUE.
4. FALSE, JAHANGIR BANNED IT AND IT WAS TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.

Question 5

IRRIGATION PROJECTS RECIEVED STATE SUPPORT AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE, IN NORTHERN INDIA THE STATE UNDERTOOK DIGGING OF NEW CANALS (NAHR, NALA) AND ALSO REPAIRED OLD ONE LIKE THE SHAHNAHR IN THE PUNJAB DURING THE ________ REIGN.

Answer 5

SHAH JAHAN’S.

Question 6

JINS-I-KAMIL MEANING?

Answer 6

PERFECT CROPS.
CROPS SUCH AS COTTON AND SUGARCANE WERE JINS-I-KAMIL PAR EXCELLENCE.
COTTON WAS GROWN OVER A GREAT SWATHE OF TERRITORY SPREAD OVER CENTRAL INDIA AND THE DECCAN PLATEAU, WHEREAS BENGAL WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS SUGAR.
SUCH CASH CROPS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE VARIOUS SORTS OF OILSEEDS (FOR EXAMPLE, MUSTARD) AND LENTILS.

Question 7

MAIZE (MAKKA), FOR EXAMPLE, WAS INTRODUCED INTO INDIA VIA _________ AND BY THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY IT WAS BEING LISTED AS ONE OF THE MAJOR CROPS OF WESTERN INDIA.

Answer 7

AFRICA AND SPAIN.

Question 8

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS INTRODUCED FROM THE NEW WORLD?

Answer 8

1. VEGETABLES- TOMATOES, CHILLIES AND POTATOES.
2. FRUITS- PINEAPPLE AND PAPAYA.

Question 9

TERM MUQADDAM OR MANDAL MEANS?

Answer 9

THE VILLAGE HEADMAN.

Question 10

TERM MAJUR MEANS?

Answer 10

MEANIALS OR AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS.

Question 11

TERM HALALKHORAN AND MALLAHZADAS MEANING?

Answer 11

IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES MENIALS LIKE THE HALALKHORAN (SCAVENGERS) WERE HOUSED OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE VILLAGE; SIMILARLY THE MALLAHZADAS (LITERALLY, SONS OF BOATMEN) IN BIHAR WERE COMPARABLE TO SLAVES.

Question 12

THE GAURAVAS, WHO CULTIVATED LAND AROUND VRINDAVAN (UTTAR PRADESH), SOUGHT RAJPUT STATUS IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
CASTES SUCH AS THE AHIRS, GUJARS AND MALIS ROSE IN THE HIERARCHY BECAUSE OF THE PROFITABILITY OF CATTLE REARING AND HORTICULTURE. IN THE EASTERN REGIONS, INTERMEDIATE PASTORAL AND FISHING CASTES LIKE THE _______&________ AQUIRED THE STATUS OF THE PEASANTS.

Answer 12

SADGOPS AND KAIVARTAS.

Question 13

PANCHAYATS SYSTEM IN MEDIEVAL INDIA?

Answer 13

1. THE VILLAGE PANCHAYAT WAS AN ASSEMBLY OF ELDERS, USUALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE WITH HEREDITARY RIGHTS OVER THEIR PROPERTY.
2. THE DECISIONS MADE BY THESE PANCHAYATS WERE BINDING ON THE MEMBERS.
3. THE PANCHAYAT WAS HEADED BY A HEADMAN KNOWN AS MUQADDAM OR MANDAL.
4. ONE IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE PANCHAYAT WAS TO ENSURE THAT CASTE BOUNDARIES AMONG THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES INHABITING THE VILLAGE WERE UPHELD. IN EASTERN INDIA ALL MARRIAGES WERE HELD IN THE PRESENCE OF THE MANDAL.
5. IN MOST CASES, EXCEPT IN MATTERS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, THE STATE RESPECTED THE DECISIONS OF JATI PANCHAYATS.
6. IN ADDITION TO THE VILLAGE PANCHAYAT EACH CASTE OR JATI IN THE VILLAGE HAD ITS OWN JATI PANCHAYAT.

Question 14

WHAT WAS JAJMANI SYSTEM?

Answer 14

VILLAGE ARTISANS- POTTERS, BLACKSMITHS, CARPENTERS, BARBERS EVEN GOLDSMITHS- PROVIDED SPECIALIZED SERVICES IN RETURN FOR WHICH THEY WERE COMPENSATED BY VILLAGERS BY A VARIETY OF MEANS. THE MOST COMMON WAY OF DOING SO WAS BY GIVING THEM A SHARE OF THE HARVEST, OR AN ALLOTMENT OF LAND, PERHAPS CULTIVABLE WASTES, WHICH WAS LIKELY TO BE DECIDED BY THE PANCHAYAT. IN MAHARASHTRA SUCH LANDS BECAME THE ARTISANS MIRAS OR WATAN - THEIR HEREDITARY HOLDING.
ANOTHER VARIANT OF THIS WAS A SYSTEM WHERE ARTISANS AND INDIVIDUAL PEASANT HOUSEHOLDS ENTERED INTO A MUTUALLY NEGOTIATED SYSTEM OF REMUNERATION MOST OF THE TIME GOODS FOR SERVICES. FOR EXAMPLE, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY RECORDS TELL US OF ZAMIDARS IN BENGAL WHO REMUNERATED BLACKSMITHS, CARPENTERS, EVEN GOLDSMITHS FOR THEIR WORK BY PAYING THEM “A SMALL DAILY ALLOWANCE AND DIET MONEY”. THIS LATER CAME TO BE DESCRIBED AS THE JAJMANI SYSTEM.

Question 15

TERM SHROFF MEANS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS PER JEAN BAPTISTE TAVERNIER?

Answer 15

JEAN BAPTISTE TAVERNIER FOUND IT REMARKABLE THAT IN “INDIA A VILLAGE MUST BE VERY SMALL INDEED IF IT HAS NOT A MONEY- CHANGER CALLED A SHROFF. THEY ACT AS BANKERS TO MAKE REMITTANCES OF MONEY AND WHO ENHANCE THE RUPEE AS THEY PLEASE FOR PAISA AND THE PAISA FOR THESE (COWRIE) SHELLS

Question 16

DISCRIMINATION WITH MENSTRUATING WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL INDIA?

Answer 16

1. MENSTRUATING WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE PLOUGH OR THE POTTER’S WHEEL IN WESTERN INDIA, OR ENTER THE GROVES WHERE BETEL-LEAVES (PAAN) WERE GROWN IN BENGAL.

Question 17

TERM KHARBANDI MEANS?

Answer 17

SCRUBLAND.

Question 18

TERM MAWAS MEANING?

Answer 18

FOR THE STATE, THE FOREST WAS SUBVERSIVE PLACE- A PLACE OF REFUGE (MAWAS) FOR TROUBLEMAKERS.

Question 19

POEM CHANDIMANGALA IS COMPOSED BY?

Answer 19

IT IS A BENGALI POEM COMPOSED BY MUKUNDARAM CHAKRABARTI.

Question 20

TERM PESHKASH MEANING?

Answer 20

PESHKASH WAS A FORM OF TRIBUTE COLLECTED BY THE MUGHAL STATE.

Question 21

TERM PARGANA MEANING?

Answer 21

IT WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVISION OF A MUGHAL PROVINCE.

Question 22

ARRANGE SUBA, PARGANA AND SARKAR IN ASCENDING ORDER?

Answer 22

PARGANA<SARKAR<SUBA.

Question 23

MEANING OF THE FOLLOWING .
1. KUTAS COW
2. CHUK
3. MAJITH
4. ZEODARY

Answer 23

1. KUTAS COW- THE YAK
2. CHUK- AN ACID COMPOSED OF ORANGE JUICE AND LEMON BOILDED TOGETHER.
3. MAJITH- A PLANT PRODUCING A RED DYE.
4. ZEODARY- A ROOT RESEMBLING TURMERIC.

Question 24

SOME TRIBES, LIKE THE LOHANIS IN THE ______, WERE ENGAGED IN OVERLAND TRADE, BETWEEN INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Answer 24

PUNJAB.

Question 25

CASTE WAS ONE FACTOR THAT ACCOUNTED FOR THE ELEVATED STATUS OF ZAMIDARS; ANOTHER FACTOR WAS?

Answer 25

THEY PERFORMED CERTAIN SERVICES (KHIDMAT) FOR THE STATE.

Question 26

TERM MILKIYAT MEANS?

Answer 26

• THE ZAMIDARS HELD EXTENSIVE PERSONAL LANDS TERMED MILKIYAT, MEANING PROPERTY.
• MILKIYAT LANDS WERE CULTIVATED FOR THE PRIVATE USE OF ZAMIDARS, OFTEN WITH THE HELP OF HIRED OR SERVILE LABOUR.
• THE ZAMIDARS COULD SELL, BEQUEATH OR MORTGAGE THESE LANDS AT WILL.

Question 27

TERM QILACHAS MEANING?

Answer 27

FORTRESSES.
MOST ZAMIDARS HAD FORTRESSES (QILACHAS) AS WELL AS AN ARMED CONTIGENT COMPRISING UNITS OF CAVALRY, ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY.

Question 28

SOURCES OF ZAMIDARS POWER?

Answer 28

1. ZAMIDARS ALSO DERIVED THEIR POWER FROM THE FACT THAT THEY COULD OFTEN COLLECT REVENUE ON THE BEHALF OF THE STATE, A SERVICE FOR WHICH THEY WERE COMPENSATED FINANCIALLY.
2. THEY HAD HEREDITARY RIGHT OF COLLECTING LAND REVENUE.
3. ZAMIDARS WAS NOT THE OWNER OF ALL LANDS COMPRISING HIS ZAMIDARI, PEASANTS WHO ACTUALITY CULTIVATED THE LAND COULD NOT BE DISPOSSESSED AS LONG AS THEY PAID THE LAND REVENUE. THUS ZAMIDARS AND PEASANTS HAD THEIR OWN HEREDITARY RIGHTS IN LAND.

Question 29

TERM SANAD MEANING?

Answer 29

IMPERIAL ORDER.

Question 30

1. THE DISPOSSESSION OF WEAKER PEOPLE BY A POWERFUL MILITARY CHIEFTAIN WAS QUITE OFTEN A WAY OF EXPANDING A ZAMIDARI.
2. IT IS, HOWEVER UNLIKELY THAT THE STATE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED SUCH A SHOW OF AGGRESSION BY A ZAMIDAR UNLESS HE HAD BEEN CONFIRMED BY AN IMPERIAL ORDER (SANAD).
   TRUE/FALSE.

Answer 30

1. TRUE.
2. TRUE.

Question 31

WERE ZAMIDARS IN MEDIEVAL INDIA EXPLOITATIVE?

Answer 31

ALTHOUGH THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT THAT ZAMIDARS WERE AN EXPLOITATIVE CLASS. TWO ASPECTS REINFORCE THIS VIEW.
1. THE BHAKTI SAINTS, WHO ELOQUENTLY CONDEMNED CASTE BASED AND OTHER FORMS OF OPPRESSION DID NOT PORTRAY THE ZAMIDARS AS EXPLOITERS OR OPPRESSORS OF THE PEASANTRY.
2. IN A LARGE NUMBER OF AGRARIAN UPRISINGS WHICH ERUPTED IN NORTH INDIA IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, ZAMIDARS OFTEN RECIEVED THE SUPPORT OF THE PEASANTRY IN THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST THE STATE.

Question 32

STAGES OF LAND REVENUE IN MUGHAL EMPIRE?

Answer 32

1. JAMA- WAS THE AMOUNT ASSESSED.
2. HASIL- WAS THE AMOUNT COLLECTED.

Question 33

WHO WERE AMIL-GUZAR IN AKBAR’S EMPIRE?

Answer 33

AMIL GUZAR OR REVENUE COLLECTOR- AKBAR DECREED THAT WHILE HE SHOULD STRIVE TO MAKE CULTIVATORS PAY IN CASH, THE OPTION OF PAYMENT IN KIND WAS ALSO TO BE KEPT OPEN.

Question 34

TERM AMIN MEANING?

Answer 34

AMIN WAS AN OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT IMPERIAL REGULATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE PROVINCES.

Question 35

CLASSIFICATION OF LANDS UNDER AKBAR?

Answer 35

1. POLAJ- LAND WHICH IS ANNUALLY CULTIVATED FOR EACH CROP IN SUCCESSION AND IS NEVER ALLOWED TO LIE FALLOW.
2. PARAUTI- IS LAND LEFT OUT OF CULTIVATION FOR A TIME THAT IT MAY RECOVER ITS STRENGTH.
3. CHACHAR- IS LAND THAT HAS LAIN FALLOW FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
4. BANJAR- IS LAND UNCULTIVATED FOR FIVE YEARS AND MORE.
   OF THE FIRST TWO KINDS OF LAND, THERE ARE THREE CLASSES, GOOD, MIDDLING, AND BAD. THEY ADD TOGETHER THE PRODUCE OF EACH SORT, AND THE THIRD OF THIS REPRESENTS THE MEDIUM PRODUCE, ONE THIRD OF WHICH IS EXECUTED AS THE ROYAL DUES.

Question 36

LAND REVENUE COLLECTION IN AKBAR’S EMPIRE?

Answer 36

1. KANKUT- KAN SIGNIFIES GRAIN, AND KUT ESTIMATES.
2. BATAI- ALSO CALLED BHAOLI, THE CROPS ARE REAPED AND STACKED AND DIVIDED BY AGREEMENT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PARTIES. BUT IN THIS CASE SEVERAL INTELLIGENT INSPECTORS ARE REQUIRED.
3. KHET-BATAI- WHEN THEY DIVIDE THE FIELDS AFTER THEY ARE SOWN.
4. LANG BATAI- AFTER CUTTING THE GRAIN, THEY FORM IT IN HEAPS AND DIVIDE IT AMONG THEMSELVES, AND EACH TAKES HIS SHARE HOME AND TURNS IT TO PROFIT.

Question 37

HE SHOULD DIRECT THE AMINS OF THE PARAGANAS THAT THEY SHOULD DISCOVER THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS OF MAUJUDAT, VILLAGE BY VILLAGE, PEASANT- WISE (ASAMI-WAR), AND AFTER MINUTE SCRUTINY, ASSESS THE JAMA, KEEPING IN VIEW THE KIFAYAT OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND THE WELFARE OF THE PEASANTRY.
THIS ORDER WAS GIVEN BY WHICH MUGHAL EMPEROR AND MEANING OF TERMS MAUJUDAT AND KIFAYAT?

Answer 37

AURANGZEB’S ORDER TO HIS REVENUE OFFICIAL, 1665.
MAUJUDAT- CULTIVATION.
KIFAYAT- FINANCIAL INTERESTS.

Question 38

WHO WAS GIOVANNI CARERI?

Answer 38

ITALIAN TRAVELLER, GIOVANNI CARERI, WHO PASSED THROUGH INDIA C. 1690, PROVIDES A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT ABOUT THE WAY SILVER TRAVELLED ACROSS THE GOLBE TO REACH INDIA.

Question 39

AIN-I AKBARI WAS COMPLETED IN _______ AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH ________ REVISIONS.

Answer 39

1598, FIVE REVISIONS.

Question 40

AIN-I AKBARI IS THE FIRST BOOK OF AKBAR NAMA.
TRUE/FALSE.

Answer 40

FALSE.
AKBAR NAMA COMPRISED THREE BOOKS. THE FIRST TWO PROVIDED A HISTORICAL NARRATIVE.
THE AIN-I AKBARI, THE THIRD BOOK, WAS ORGANIZED AS A COMPENDIUM OF IMPERIAL REGULATIONS AND A GAZETTEER OF THE EMPIRE.

Question 41

THE AIN-I AKBARI IS MADE UP OF ______ BOOKS.

Answer 41

FIVE BOOKS (DAFTARS).

Question 42

AIN-I AKBARI FIRST THREE BOOKS DESCRIBE THE?

Answer 42

ADMINISTRATION.
1. FIRST BOOK- CALLED MANZIL-ABADI, COVERS THE IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AND ITS MAINTENANCE.
2. SECOND BOOK, SIPAH-ABADI, COVERS THE MILITARY AND CIVIL ADMINISTRATION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVANTS.
3. THIRD BOOK, MULK-ABADI IS ONE WHICH DEALS WITH THE FISCAL SIDE OF THE EMPIRE AND PROVIDES RICH QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION ON REVENUE RATES, FOLLOWED BY THE ACCOUNTS OF THE TWELVE PROVINCES. THIS SECTION HAS DETAILED STATISTICAL INFORMATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE GEOGRAPHIC, TOPOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE OF ALL SUBAS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL DIVISIONS (SARKARS, PARAGANAS AND MAHALS), TOTAL MEASURED AREA, AND ASSESSED REVENUE (JAMA).

Question 43

AFTER SETTING OUT DETAILS AT THE SUBA LEVEL, THE AIN GOES ON TO GIVE A DETAILED PICTURE OF THE SARKARS BELOW THE SUBA. THIS IT DOES IN THE FORM OF TABLES, WHICH HAVE 8 COLUMNS GIVING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. WHAT ARE THOSE 8 COLUMNS?

Answer 43

1. PARGANAT/MAHAL
2. QILA (FORTS)
3. ARAZI AND ZAMIN-I PAIMUDA (MEASURED AREA)
4. NAQDI, REVENUE ASSESSED IN CASH.
5. SUYURGHAL, GRANTS OF REVENUE IN CHARITY.
6. ZAMIDARS
7. AND
8. CONTAIN DETAILS OF THE CASTES OF THESE ZAMIDARS, AND THEIR TROOPS INCLUDING THEIR HORSEMAN (SAWAR), FOOT SOLDIERS (PIYADA) AND ELEPHANTS (FIL).

Question 44

TERM ARAZI AND ZAMIN-I PAIMUDA MEANING IN AKBAR’S EMPIRE?

Answer 44

MEASURED AREA.

Question 45

TERM NAQDI AND SUYURGHAL MEANING IN AKBAR’S EMPIRE?

Answer 45

1. NAQDI- REVENUE ASSESSED IN CASH.
2. SUYURGHAL- GRANTS OF REVENUE IN CHARITY.

Question 46

TERM SAWAR, PIYADA AND FIL MEANING IN AKBAR’S EMPIRE?

Answer 46

1. SAWAR- HORSEMAN
2. PIYADA- FOOT SOLDIERS
3. FIL- ELEPHANTS

Question 47

FOURTH AND FIFTH BOOK OF AIN-I AKBARI DEALS WITH?

Answer 47

RELIGIOUS, LITERARY AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA AND ALSO CONTAIN A COLLECTION OF AKBAR’S AUSPICIOUS SAYINGS.