A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c16.71

c16.71

At Kondapalli, Mahmud Gawan completed his scheme of administrative reform. Each of the four overgrown *tarafs* was divided into two under separate governors. At the same time, the power of the *tarafdars* (governors) was much curtailed, because ‘several places in each of the eight divisions were reserved especially to meet the king's private expenses, and district collectors were appointed from the court to manage them’. Again, the new order was that only one fort in each province was left in the governor's hands, ‘the remainder being entrusted to officers and troops distinctly appointed by the king and paid from headquarters’. This was calculated to make rebellion difficult if not impossible. Thirdly, the allowances for the maintenance of troops were increased, but stricter supervision and control was introduced and *pro rata* reductions made for missing numbers. Mahmud Gawan also improved the administration of land revenue by organizing a proper survey and proper assessment. These reforms made him very unpopular with the Deccanis who held five out of the eight governorships.