Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c7.t2.97

c7.t2.97

The customs due to the government were not collected by them direct, but only farmed out to local persons who paid a fixed amount to them. That such customs duties were farmed out on contract to bidders is shown by an inscription in the present Shimoga district in the Mysore State.¹¹³ The rates of duties differed from place to place for the renters "took various measures frequently for increasing the perquisites of their respective caukis at the expense of others. For instance they advanced money to some of the merchants, requiring only one-half of the duty which was paid by others thus encouraging them to come by their kaṭṭes (custom houses), where they paid reduced customs, with a view to inducing others to follow the same route. It is impossible to fix on any certain rate in collecting customs on goods imported. When one farmer demanded ten pagodas for 100 loads, another took only two pagodas, and their rates widely differed as collected at various places. These farmers, from the collections of the customs on different descriptions of goods and trades, paid the amount of the agreed rent to the Sarkar, reserving the profits which were more or less considerable according to circumstances."114 Nuniz makes a few interesting observations on this system of the farming out of the customs. Speaking about a particular gate in Vijayanagar he remarks: "This gate is rented out for 12,000 pardaos each year, and no man can enter it without paying just what the renters ask, country folk as well as strangers. In both these cities there is no provision or merchandise whatever, for all come from outside on pack-oxen, since in this country they always use beasts for burdens; and every day there enter through these gates 2000 oxen and every one of these pays three vintees except certain polled oxen without horns which never pay anything in any part of the realm."¹¹⁵