Indian feudalism

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Burdwan feudal estate
in Bengal.

Indian feudalism refers to the

feudal society that made up India's social structure until the formation of Republic of India
in the 20th century.

Jagirdars, Istamuradars & Mankaris) of the state
.

Terminology

Use of the term feudalism to describe India applies a concept of medieval European origin, according to which the landed nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. The term Indian feudalism is used to describe Taluqdar, Zamindar, Jagirdar, Zaildar, Ghatwals, Mulraiyats, Sardar, Mankari, Thakurs, Jotedar, Deshmukh, Deshpande, Desai, Chaudhary, Nayak, Nair, Naduvazhi and Samanta. Most of these systems were abolished after the independence of India and the rest of the subcontinent. D. D. Kosambi and R. S. Sharma, together with Daniel Thorner, brought peasants into the study of Indian history for the first time.[1]

Bihar

The Bihar region (now a state) of India was a hotbed for feudalism. Feudal lords ruled the region for decades; semi-feudal conditions still exist. As a result, child malnourishment is common, in spite of modern Bihar's status as having the fastest growth in gross domestic product in India.[2]

Telangana

Doras and

backward classes
were required to carry their footwear in their hands if they were passing in front of the gadi or dora.

A famous line which is repeated by the oppressed was “Banchen Dora née Kalmoktha (I am your slave my lord, I bow to your feet).[5] Shyam Benegal's films Ankur and Nishant depict Telangana's feudalism grahically. A Telugu film blockbuster, Maa Bhoomi, showed the society under feudal lords.

The

Srikrishna committee on Telangana says in its findings that there is still gross injustice to the land tillers of the region, the villains, in this case, were landlords of Telangana and not those of other regions.[6]

Kerala

There were a number of feudal states in Kerala in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era between the rule of Chera dynasty and the British rule (smaller feudal estates remained even during British rule). In

warriors
.

Madhya Pradesh

Initially, Madhya Pradesh was inhabited by numerous tribes who lived in densely forested regions with no semblance of authority. However, sometime after the fall of the

Bijapur Sultanate. Gond chieftains such as that of Lanji in Balaghat district ruled from strong forts called garhs. These tribal zamindars served their overlord kingdom in times of war but could also be a nuisance when they rebelled.[8]

These zamindars enjoyed privileges under the native

Raghuji Bhonsle and his descendants from then on, and often rebelled against the later oppressive Maratha rule.[8]
Many of these zamindars rebelled in the Revolt of 1857 against the English East India Company, were defeated, their leaders killed and the feudal lands annexed to direct British territory as a result. However, some of them were still ruling after 1857 but their family lines died out and those who survived gave up their estates in exchange for pensions.

Madras Presidency

Several zamindaris were established in the Madras Presidency (present-day Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas) from 1799 onwards. The largest of these were Arni, Ramnad, Ganapur and Sivaganga. The zamindari settlement was based on a similar settlement established in Bengal. The Zamindari settlement of Madras was largely unsuccessful and was wrapped up in 1852. However, a few Zamindaris remained till India's independence in 1947.

North Arcot

North Arcot region was under Jagirdars until the Indian independence. The largest estate was that of Arni, a

deshastha royal family. Arni estate was larger than Sandur
princely state.

Northern Andhra

The Northern Andhra region was under Telaga doras until the Indian Independence. The largest estate was that of Vizianagram under the Poosapati kshatriya family which was liberal and enlightened.

Rayalaseema

The

deshastha
royal family of Vishvamitra gotra and was liberal and enlightened.

Vidarbha

The feudal lords in Vidarbha region are notorious for their oppressive rule.

In literature

See also

References

  1. .
  2. ^ B Vijay Murty (2010-12-16). "Food that's not fit for humans". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  3. ^ I Thirumali. Dora and. Gadi: Manifestation of Landlord. Domination in Telangana.
  4. ^ "Spat over portfolio". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 13 August 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  5. ^ "KCR's comments on Nizam's rule raise hackles NEWS ANALYSIS". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  6. ^ Panel finds no data to prove T backwardness, Deccan Chronicle Archived December 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Gonds". Gonds' Rise to power- Chanda District Gazetteer. Gazetteers Department: Maharashtra. 1973.
  8. ^
    ISSN 0967-3407
    .
  9. ^ "Saraswatichandra (1968)". January 21, 2010. Retrieved Feb 8, 2013.

Bibliography

  • R.S. Sharma, Perspectives in Social and Economic History of Early India, paperback edn., (Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 2003). Translated into Hindi, Russian and Bengali. Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu translations projected.
  • R.S. Sharma, Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India, (Macmillan Publishers, Delhi, 1985). Translated into Hindi, Russian and Bengali. Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu translations projected.
  • R.S. Sharma, Urban Decay in India (c.300-1000), (Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1987). Translated into Hindi and Bengali
  • R.S. Sharma, Early Medieval Indian Society: A Study in Feudalisation (Orient Longman Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, 2003)
  • R.S. Sharma, )
  • R.S. Sharma, Indian Feudalism (Macmillan Publishers India Ltd., 3rd Revised Edition, Delhi, 2005)
  • R.S. Sharma, The State and Varna Formations in the Mid-Ganga Plains: An Ethnoarchaeological View (New Delhi, Manohar, 1996)
  • R.S. Sharma, Origin of the State in India (Dept. of History, University of Bombay, 1989)
  • R.S. Sharma, Land Revenue in India: Historical Studies, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1971
  • Historiography of Indian Feudalism Towards a Model of Early Medieval Indian Economy, C. A.D. 600-1000, by Vijay Kumar Thakur. Commonwealth Publishers, 1989. .
  • Dora and. Gadi: Manifestation of Landlord Domination in Telangana, I Thirumali, 1992
  • Against Dora and Nizam : People's Movement in Telangana 1939-1948, I Thirumali
  • "Chillarollu's Defiances in Telangana, 1900-1944" Indian Historical Review, XXII, 1995-1996
  • Origin and Growth of Feudalism in Early India: From the Mauryas to AD 650, by Gian Chand Chauhan. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2004. .