The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c7.41

c7.41

The provincial government was a replica of the central government. The governor represented the sultan and was the head of his administration. The various departments at the centre were duplicated in the provinces. Normally the provincial departments were controlled from the capital but distant or difficult provinces practically ran themselves. The unit of administration was the village with its headman and accountant; villages were grouped into pargaṇahs and the latter into shiqqs. The shiqqs and some small provinces came to be known as sarkārs towards the end of the period. A marked feature of the period were the Hindu tributary rulers; the smaller Hindu chiefs were employed in various capacities by the sultan.¹ Most of the local administration was left in the hands of the Hindus; the state adapted the existing machinery to the new requirements. Peace was maintained by garrisoning strategic centres, planting colonies of Muslim warriors, developing and enforcing local responsibility, and by improving communications. The local administration of the larger towns was based on the model of the capital; village communities functioned in accordance with their old traditions.