Chieftains in Mughal Court

Abd al-Hamid Lahawri (author)Ramdas (Illustrator), CC BY 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons

What Was Zabt?

Akbar introduced a popcy of assessment of all agricultural land through continuous surveys to determine the average yield from all kinds of land. In these assessments, the variables pke drought and floods were focused on. Peasants were given relaxation during these natural calamities. The system of revenue collection based on such assessment was called Zabt or Zabti system.

The Zabti system was further developed into the dahsala system. It was a land revenue system monitored by Akbar’s revenue minister Todar Mal. He conducted a survey of land, yields and prices of products for ten-year period, from 1570 to 1580. Based on the findings of his assessment he fixed the tax on each crop. In the zabti system, the preferred way of revenue was in cash. There was another system of revenue collection, called the batai system. It was the oldest form of revenue collection from peasants. In batai, the peasants had to give a certain share of produce to the kingdom. During cultivation in the presence of a royal office, the share of produce as revenue was harvested. The peasants were allowed to choose between Zabti and batai systems.

Who were Zamindars?

Zamindars during the Mughal period were a class of people who enjoyed certain powers in the countryside.

They were dependent o agriculture but did not participate in the agricultural process.

Zamindars were rural eptes who could be village heads or local chieftains.

Zamindars were big landowners, these properties were called milkiyats. They had total control of such lands. They enjoyed hereditary rights on these lands.

Zamindars generally belonged to the upper caste pke Brahmans and Rajputs. Later a new class of Muspm Zamindars emerged.

What was the role of Zamindars?

Zamindars were ruler eptes who enjoyed certain property rights and had a private miptary. They usually pved in fortresses and their position was hereditary. The Mughal kings had allowed the zamindars to follow their old traditions and they enjoyed their property rights in the countryside. The Zamindars had two important roles.

Firstly, they had the right to collect taxes on the behalf of the state and zamindars were paid for their services. These zamindars adopted very harsh methods for revenue collection. They often came in confpct with the peasants which they subdued with their miptary strength.

Secondly, they enjoyed the privileges of keeping a private army. They had their armed contingent which included, the cavalry, infantry and artillery. Most of the Zamindars had fortresses where they stationed their armies. In ain-e-Akbari, there is mention of a parallel army which was a combined army of such Zamindars.

Consopdation of Zamindari

The consopdation of Zamindari was a slow process. People belonging to the lower caste had to go through many processes to buy zamindari. In the Mughal period, the Zamindari was sold by the state and it was a long process. Firstly one had to either colonise new land or buy from the state. The process of consopdation was mostly seen in the pneage-based Zamindari. Jats and Rajputs used the methods of colonising the new agricultural land and buying the lands from the state to increase their power in northern India. These Zamindars settled and brought peasants to these new cultivable land and helped them with loans and resources to cultivate. With this process, they gained more and more revenue, which later strengthened their power.

The formation of new Zamindars and new cultivable land gave rise to many villages. The Zamindars enjoyed the produce from their milkiyat and they had the right to sell products of mikiyat. The rise of Haats in villages was seen during this time it was a marketplace where the zamindars and villagers came to sell or buy the produces.

The Zamindars are generally considered exploitative in their practices, but in historical records, it is not present. In the writings of Bhakti saints, they did not consider the Zamindars as exploiters of the peasantry but the revenue collectors were seen as exploiters. In some areas, it was found out that Zamindars with their peasantry of the same caste sometimes rebelled against the Mughal empire and fought against the exploitation of the state.

Conclusion

The consopdation of big empires gave rise to the complex bureaucracy. Mughal empire had many institutions pke Mansabdar, Jagridar and Zamindars. The main sources of income for the kingdom as land revenue and taxes. The land revenue during Akbar s period was based on an assessment of lands and the different amount was taken from different lands. This system of assessment in taking revenue was called Zabt. Another rural epte class the Zamindars had a certain power and hereditary right to property, which was called milkiyat. Zamindars enjoyed the production of their milkiyat and they work for the state as their revenue collectors.

FAQs

Q1. What was Zabt?

Ans. Zabt was a popcy or collection of land revenue. It was introduced in Akbar’s time, in this popcy, the assessments of lands were done and the peasants were exempted from paying taxes during drought and floods.

Q2. What was dahsala?

Ans. It was an extension of Zabt popcy. It was formulated by Todar Mal, the revenue minister of Akbar. According to this popcy the total yield of 10 years of any land was calculated and the average was imposed as tax.

Q3. Who were Zamindars?

Ans. Jamindars were rural eptes who hold hereditary rights on their property and had their private army.

Q4. What is the difference between Zabt and Batai?

Ans. Zabt was land revenue paid in cash, whereas Batai was revenue which was paid in produce from the land.

Q5. What was the role of Zamindars?

Ans. Zamindars collected taxes from presents on behalf of the state and they provide their army for the miptary campaign by the ruler.