Mouza
In Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of India a mouza or mauza (also mouja) is a type of administrative district, corresponding to a specific land area within which there may be one or more settlements. Before the 20th century, the term referred to a revenue collection unit is a pargana or revenue district.
The mauza system in the Indian Subcontinent is similar to the
manorial system in Europe. The head of a mauza is styled as Mustajir, Pradhan or Mulraiyat, equivalent to Lord of the Manor in the manorial system.[1]
As populations increased and villages became more common and developed, the concept of the mouza declined in importance. Today it has become mostly
synonymous with the gram or village. Most voter lists, for example, now use the names of villages rather than mouzas.[2]
In contemporary Pakistan, a mouza is defined as "a territorial unit with a separate name, definite boundaries, and area precisely measured and divided into plots/
abadis, bastis, dhoks, goths, tola, turf, hundi etc.) in the mouza's territory.[3] A mouza may also be unpopulated.[3]
In Sindh, a mouza is known as a deh.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Final Report of survey settlement operations in santhal pargana. Third programme zamindari estates. Author McPherson. Page no.53
- ^ Islam, Sirajul (2012). "Mouza". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ a b c d e Khan, Tariq Shafiq (2009). Pakistan 2008 Mouza Statistics (PDF). Government of Pakistan: Statistics Division – Agricultural Census Organization. Retrieved 4 May 2021.