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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Shivaji and Watandar - Part II

Hello again,

As we have seen in the previous part (Part I) that the administration of most of the Watandars of their respective watans was not all that good.
Few of the malpractices of Watandars are -
  •  As the Sultan or Ruler of the jurisdiction hardly interfered in the matters of Watandars and Watandari.  Watandars used to collect exorbitant taxes from the cultivator/farmers.
  • A fixed amount (very little of the amount collected) of the collected taxes were given to the ruler and the remaining was kept by Watandars.
  • They built bastion, castle with the money they extorted from the farmers and posed a serious threat to the existing ruler.
  • In Sabhasad Chronicle it is mentioned about watandars that - ये जातीने पुंड होऊन देश बळकाविले .
Shivaji Raja was very well aware about the business of these watandars and he was also aware how important it is to curtails their power.
  • There are few evident reforms which Shivaji Maharaja made in the watandari system:
  • As there was negligible interference of the Sultan or ruler over the watandars and their watandari. Watandars exploited this stance of the ruler and collected heavy taxes from the peasants. This was solely done for the purpose of filling their own pockets. They built huge garrisons with this money they collected from the poor peasants and kept big army.
    1. Shivaji introduced the new policy where he forbade the watandars from directly collecting taxes from the farmers but instead he told watandars to collect their dues/remuneration from the District treasury. Thus, cutting any direct relation of watandar and a farmer. By doing so, he also established a direct link between central government and farmers and gained their confidence.

  • We have seen that watandars used to build bastions, castles, do fortification of the place of their residence, with the money they extorted. Because of these garrisons they became fearless and  used to join the side of enemy during war times.
    1. Shivaji started a new policy and according to his policy, he demolished all the strongholds of these watandars and imposed a new rule by which watandars can not build new garrisons or castle. They should build a house with normal fence and live therein.
  • As we know that watandars used to collect huge taxes and fill their own pockets. Raja Shivaji made it a point that these watandars should not get more than what they deserve.
    1. He imposed a new tax, we can say super tax on the watandars (not on the common man or peasant) which was known as miras patti or sihansan patti. According to the available documents, the rates of this super tax was too high. In one document it is mentioned that miras patti  of 1000 hons (gold coins) was collected from the watandars of Shirwal pargana.
Watandars who do not obey these orders were subjected to a severe punishment. In one such incidence, a watandar known as Khandoji Khopde betrayed Shivaji and joined the army of Afzal Khan against Shivaji. Shivaji got hold of him after the famous battle against Afzal Khan, and carried out amputation of his right hand and left leg.

Shivaji did not uproot the concept of watandar(i) but toned it up in such a manner that it will work effectively towards the well being of cultivators and development of villages/pargana under the watandar. 

3 comments:

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  2. Well written and has a point. This is what u should be aiming for. Why is Shivaji such a revered figure among the marathis other than the obvious that he was a maratha king and we are, well some sort of descendants of him. Other than the obvious parochial bais that you have, i think you should highlight incidences/practices/reforms he executed or aimed for which show him to be a modern ruler. Modern being used in a modern reforms sort of a way. This article does that well. Even a neutral reader who is not a marathi manoos can see the merit in his move. He was a great man and not just because of his marathi roots or his valor. Thats what you should be looking at highlighting.

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