Indian Epigraphy c11.t3.8

c11.t3.8

But as regards the land made into a rent-free holding at the request of an officer or feudatory of the king, it was no doubt in many cases lying within their jāgīr, i.e. fief or estate. In the case of land forming part of jāgīrs which royal officers of ancient India enjoyed temporarily,² their occupants lost the rent of or income from the land in question so long as they were in their possession. But the king's loss of revenue was greater as the land remained rent-free when the jāgīr reverted to him or was later allotted to some other officer. It therefore seems that the occupants of jāgīrs had to compensate the king's loss at least partially for the creation of revenue-free holdings within their fiefs, as otherwise they could scarcely expect the full share of merit accruing to the pious act. We have also cases³ where a king is found to ratify the rent-free holdings created in their jāgīrs by members of the royal family.