Zamindar

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For other uses, see Zamindar (disambiguation).

Zamindar, also known as Zemindar, Zamindari, or the Zamindari System (Persian: زمیندار) were employed by the Mughals to collect taxes from peasants. The practice was continued under British rule. After independence, however, the system was abolished in India and East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh), but is still current in Pakistan. Jamindar is a common irregularity in this name. The transition was made between barely literate[citation needed] members of the government at that time.

Other terms were used in various provinces. For example, Sindh zamindars were (and still are) known as Wadara, while in Punjab, different terms occur such as Chauhdari, Labardar and Malik (the last being an Arabic word originally meaning "king" but sometimes as here used also for "chieftain" or "leader").

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[edit] Mughal era

In the Mughal Era, the Zamindari system was begun to ensure proper collection of taxes during a period when the power and influence of the Mughal emperors was in decline. With the Mughal conquest of Bengal, "zamindar" became a generic title embracing people with different kinds of landholdings and rights that ranged from the autonomous or semi-independent chieftains to the peasant-proprietors. All categories of zamindars under the Mughals were required to perform certain police, judicial and military duties. Zamindars under the Mughals were, in fact, more the public functionaries than revenue collecting agents. Although zamindaris were allowed to be held hereditarily, the holders were not considered to be the proprietors of their estates.

The territorial zamindars had judicial powers. Naturally, judge-magistracy, as an element of state authority conferred status with attendant power, which really made them the lords of their domains. They held regular courts, called zamindari adalat. The courts fetched them not only power and status but some income as well by way of fines, presents and perquisites. The petty zamindars also had some share in the dispensation of civil and criminal justice. The Chowdhurys, who were zamindars in most cases, had authority to deal with the complaints of debts, thefts and petty quarrels and to impose paltry fines.

[edit] British era

Zamindar was the name of landlords in colonial India.

The Zamindari system was a way of collecting taxes from peasants. The zamindar was considered a lord, and would collect all taxes on his lands and then hand over the collected taxes to the British authorities (keeping a portion for himself). The similarities to medieval feudalism are evident.

Under the British, they resembled landed gentry (although they lived similarly privileged lives under the Mughals) and sometimes styled themselves as little kings, or rajas. Some new Zamindars were old Rajas. Many descended from eighteenth century revenue speculators and military adventurers. Several families are of very ancient lineage, like those claiming Gujjar ancestry and had always been independent rulers at earlier periods of Indian history. They frequently intermarried with the ruling families of the princely states. Their tenants numbered from dozens to many thousands, and under imperial law, had to pay rent to Zamindars to retain rights to their land.

Zamindari mansions were generally large, spacious homes built of stone and teak wood, with a wraparound porch and rooms leading off from a large central courtyard, although this varied with the region. The mansion was a part of a vast estate.

[edit] After partition in India

The Zamindari system was mostly abolished in India soon after its independence. The term is usually associated with the aristocracy as zamindars are still considered to be of the landed gentry. Zamindars tend to marry into families of the same social class; however, there have been cases of impoverished nobles marrying into rich families with no titles (this is sometimes considered marrying into the same social class, even if the other family is not of the nobility).

[edit] After partition in East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh)

The abolition of the Zamindari system (which divided the society into lords, owners of property, and commoners, users of property) in East Pakistan (1950) was a major landmark in Bangladesh's movement to a "people's state".

[edit] In West Pakistan (present day Pakistan)

In present day Pakistan the Zamindari System is still present, especially in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. Zamindars are known by different terms in different provinces. In Sindh, for example, zamindars are known as 'Wadara', while in Punjab, different terms such as 'Chauhdari', 'Labardar' and 'Malik' are used. The Ghosh were a major clan of this system.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Further reading

  • Irfan Habib, 1963. The Agrarian System of Mughal India. For the meanings of zamindar see pp. 140ff.
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