Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v1.c18.84

v1.c18.84

Khar-Lakar.—The composition for ‘ wood and forage ’ afforded a considerable supply. When the princes of Mewar were oftener in the tented field than in the palace, combating for their preservation, it was the duty of every individual to store up wood and forage for the supply of the prince’s army. What originated in necessity was converted into an abuse and annual demand. The towns also supplied a certain portion of provisions ; where the prince halted for the day these were levied on the community ; a goat or sheep from the shepherd, milk and flour from the farmer . The maintenance of these customs is observable in taxes, for the origin of which it is impossible to assign a reason without going into the history of the period ; they scarcely recollect the source of some of these themselves. They are akin to those known under the feudal tenures of France, arising from exactly the same causes, and commuted for money payments ; such as the *droit de giste et de chevauche*.¹ Many also originated in the perambulations of these princes to visit their domains ;² a black year in the calendar to the chief and the subject. When he honoured the chief by a visit, he had to present horses and arms, and to entertain his prince, in all which honours the cultivators and merchants had to share. The duties on the sale of spirits, opium, tobacco, and even to a share of the garden-stuff, affords also modes of supply [145].³