The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c11.s7.3

c11.s7.3

This about the south and west. About the east and north, Bengal and the region between Agra and Lahore, Joseph Salbank (1609-10) writing of the thickly populated country between Agra and Lahore observes that while the nobles are said to be very wealthy the plebian sort, is so poor that the greatest part of them go naked. In this regard, and for the urban scene in particular the testimony of Pelsaert (1620-27) and Bernier (1656-68) is of immense value. They lived and wrote mainly about Agra and Delhi respectively. Pelsaert laments the utter subjection and poverty of the common people-poverty so great and miserable that the life of the people can be depicted or accurately described only as the home of stark want and the dwelling place of bitter woe.¹⁴⁵ He continues: There are three classes of people who are indeed nominally free, but whose status differs very little from voluntary slavery-workmen, peons or servants and shopkeepers. For the workmen there are two scourges, the first of which is low wages. Goldsmiths, painters (of cloth or chintz), embroiderers, carpet makers, cotton or silk weavers, black-smiths, copper-smiths, tailors, masons, builders, stone-cutters, a hundred crafts in all-any of these working from morning to night can earn only 5 or 6 *tackas* (*tankahs*), that is 4 or 5 strivers in wages. The second (scourge) is (the oppression of) the Governor, the nobles, the *Diwan*, the *Kotwal*, the *Bakshi*, and other royal officers. If any of these wants a workman, the man is not asked if he is willing to come, but is seized in the house or in the street, well beaten if he should dare to raise any objection, and in the evening paid half his wages, or nothing at all. From these facts the nature of their food can be easily inferred For their monotonous daily food they have nothing but a little *khichri* in the day time, they munch a little parched pulse or other grain, which they say suffices for their lean stomachs Their houses are built of mud with thatched roofs. Furniture there is little or none, except some earthenware pots to hold water and for cooking Their bedclothes are scanty, merely a sheet or perhaps two this is sufficient in the hot weather, but the bitter cold nights are miserable indeed, and they try to keep warm over little cowdung fires the smoke from these fires all over the city is so great that the eyes run, and the throat seems to be choked.¹⁴⁶ In 1648 the capital shifted from Agra to Delhi, but the story of exploitation remained the same. Bernier writes that grandees pay for a work of art considerably under its value, and according to their own caprice.¹⁴⁷ When an *Omrah* or *Mansabdar* requires the services of an artisan, he sends to the *bazar* for him, employing force, if necessary, to make the poor man work; and after the task is finished, the unfeeling lord pays, not according to the value- of the labour, but agreeably to his own standard of fair remuneration; the artisan having reason to congratulate himself if the *Korrah* has not been given in part payment.¹⁴⁸