The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s4.19

v1.c19.s4.19

It should be noted that these beneficial tenures, called *śāsanas* and *agrahāras* in contemporary documents, never covered more than a fraction of the agricultural land; they did not touch the mass of the cultivators in the country. What rights the bulk of the cultivators possessed in the soil they tilled we do not know. That some of them, at any rate, were non-proprietary or exproprietary tenants may be inferred from the copper-plate charters.¹ That all or most of them had to pay various kinds of taxes and local cesses is also certain. But besides the payment of taxes and cesses, the holding of land seems to have entailed various other obligations. This is shown by the express provision in the land-grants exempting religious endowments from certain burdens, enumerated in general terms as *sarva-pīḍā.* What these consisted of is nowhere clearly explained, but specific mention is made of the right of entry of *cāṭa* and *bhaṭa.* The latter seems to refer to certain services which the cultivators had occasionally to render to an army such as provision of quarters and supply of provisions or labour. The exact purport of the other term is not known, but it was evidently of the same nature and might have included the provision of food on the occasion of a king or high official visiting the locality and 'milk-money' *i.e.* the perquisite paid on the occasion of the birth of a prince, marriage of a princess, *etc.* These were not regular taxes, but customary dues paid on specific occasions. On the other hand, the land-grants indicate that the possession of land carried with it certain inherent privileges. These included the right to everything under the ground and above it, such as mines, salt, wood, bush and trees including fruits. The right may have extended to the use of adjoining water, *i.e.* tanks or rivers and fishing therein.