Administrative System of the Marathas c11.s3: 5. Revenue Divisions and Revenue Officers
Administrative System of the Marathas c11.s3
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- c11.s3.t1 Subhedars — 17 parts
5. Revenue Divisions and Revenue Officers
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The provinces under Shivaji's rule were styled Swarajya to distinguish them from Mughlai or provinces under other (generally Muhammadan) rulers. The Swarajya was, for revenue purposes, divided into a number of Prants consisting of two or more Districts. There were in all 16 provinces under Shivaji's government according to Ranade.²⁷ They were:
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²⁷ Ranade, H. M. P., pp. 117-118.
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1. Maval.
2. Wai.
3. Satara.
4. Karad.
5. Panhala.
6. South Konkan.
7. Thana.
8. Trimbak.
9. Baglan.
10. Wanagad.
11. Bednore.
12. Kolhar.
13. Shrirangapatan.
14. Karnatik.
15. Vellore.
16. Tanjore.
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But we get a larger number in a jabta²⁸ drawn in the earlier years of Chhatrapati Shahu. The document, written partly in Persian and partly in Marathi, is supposed to be in the handwriting of Shankraji Malhar. It gives the boundary and divisions of the Swarajya as understood in Shahu's time. The following are the provinces enumerated in Shahu's jabita Swarajya :
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²⁸ Mawji, Jabita Swarayya, J.B Br.R.A.S., Vol. XXII, pp. 36-89.
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1. Subha Ramnagar including Ghandevi.
2. " Jawhar Prant.
3. " Prant Bhiwadi (12 Talukas).
4. " Kalyan (20 Talukas).
5. " Cheul (6 Talukas).
6. " Rajpuri (12 Talukas).
7. " Javali (18 Talukas).
8. " Dabhol (11 Talukas).
9. " Rajapoor (18 Talukas).
10. " Kudal (15 Talukas).
11. " Prant Bhimgad (5 Talukas).
12. " Prant Phonde (5 Talukas).
13. " Prant Akole (5 Talukas).
14. " Poona (6 Talukas).
15. " Baramati.
16. " Indapur.
17. " Prant Mawal (13 Talukas).
18. " Prant Wai (4 Talukas).
19. " Prant Satara (6 Talukas)
20. " Prant Kurhad (9 Talukas)
21. " Prant Khatao excluding Kasba Khatao (11 Talukas).
22. " Prant Man (4 Talukas).
23. " Prant Phaltan Mahal.
24. " Prant Belgaum.
25. " Sampgaon.
26. " Gadag.
27. " Laxmeshwar.
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28. Subha Nawalghund.
29. " Kopal.
30. " Halyal.
31. " Betgiri.
32. " Malkapur (4 Talukas).
33. " Prant Panhala (10 Talukas).
34. " Tarle (5 Talukas).
35. " Ajera (51 Talukas).
36. " Prant Junnar (24 Talukas).
37. " Kolhapore.
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Some of these may be later additions, but this list, we think, fairly represents the division of Shivaji's kingdom. Sambhaji had no mind to improve the administration and Rajaram had no leisure. It is not, therefore, probable that many changes had been made in the territorial division of the kingdom before the accession of Chhatrapati Shahu.
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Shivaji had done away with the agency of such old hereditary officers as the Patil and the Kulkarni in the village and the Deshmukh and the Deshpande in the district. They were left in the enjoyment of their old dues but the work of revenue collection was entrusted to new officers directly appointed by the king. The country had been divided by the Muhammadan government for revenue purposes into Mauja, Pargana, Sarkar, and Subhas; Shivaji abolished, or to be more accurate, modified these old divisions. In his time the country was divided into Maujas, Tarfs and Prants. The officer in charge of a Tarf was styled as Havaldar, Karkun or, in some rare instances, Paripatyagar. The officer in charge of a Prant was variously designated as Subhedar, Karkun or Mukhya Deshadhikari. Over several Prants was sometimes placed an officer called Sarsubhedar, to supervise the work of the Subhedars. These officers, like the Kamavisdars and the Mamlatdars of the Peshwa period, had to look after all the branches of the administration. The Subhedar's staff consisted of the usual complement of eight officers, viz.
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1. The Dewan.
2. The Mazumdar.
3. The Fadnis.
4. The Sabnis.
5. The Karkhanis.
6. The Chitnis.
7. The Jamadar.
8. The Potnis.
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The Subhedar usually had an annual salary of four hundred Hons a year, including the palanquin allowance. While his Mazumdar's pay varied from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five Hons a year. The Mazumdar also enjoyed the proud privilege of carrying a sun-shade²⁹ on public occasions and a small allowance was sanctioned by the government for its upkeep. A
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²⁹ Abdagir,
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Havaldar in charge of a small village had often to be contented with a paltry allowance of three to five Hons only a ye ar.³⁰
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³⁰ Sabhasad, p. 31. Sen, Siva Chhatrapati, p. 35.
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The Kamavisdar and the Mamlatdar under the Peshwa regime, though appointed for a short term, were generally allowed to retain their office for life, and to transmit it to their heirs. No public office was hereditary under Shivaji's administration, and like the Magistrates and Commissioners of British India, his Karkuns, Havaldars, and Subhedars were, as a rule, transferred from district to district and province to province. This can be clearly proved by a list of officers carefully compiled by Mr. Bhashkar Vaman Bhat³¹ from the official letters and documents published in the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 20th volumes of Mr. Rajwade's *Marathyanchya Itihasanchi Sadhanen*.
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³¹ Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Tritiya Sammelan Vritta pp. 128-131.
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In Mr. Bhat's list, we find that the following officers were in charge of the several districts for the years marked against their names:
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*Havaldar.*
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| Nimb | ... | Yesaji Ram | ... | 1676 A.D. |
| Haveli | ... | Amaji Kanho | ... | 1676 A.D. |
| Koregaon | ... | Bhimaji Malhar | ... | 1676 A.D. |
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Tarf Satara ... Kukaji Bayaji ... 1675 A.D. " " ... Mahadaji Anant ... 1676 A.D. " " ... Tukaji Prabhu .. 1677 A.D.
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We are not in possession of a complete list of Havaldars, and we do not know whether in other districts also officers were changed so often as in Satara. Our information about Subhedars and Sarsubhedars is, however, more satisfactory and the working of the principle of a short term appointment and occasional transfer can be very conveniently proved by the following instances from Mr. Bhat's list:
Subhedars
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Wai Prant ... Yesaji Malhar ... 1676 A.D. " " ... " " ... 1679 A.D. " " ... " " ... 1687 A.D. " " ... " " ... 1690 A.D. " " ... " " ... 1696 A.D. " " ... Anaji Janardan ... 1697 A.D. Jawli ... Viroram ... 1664 A.D. " ... Viththal Datto ... 1671-1672 A.D. " ... Ambaji Mordeu ... 1676 A.D. " ... Gopal Rayaji ... 1677 A.D. " ... Kashi Rangnath ... 1680 A.D. Prant Kol ... Ganesh Jogdeu ... 1672 A.D. " " ... Venkaji Rudra ... 1677 A.D. Prant Puna ... Tryambak Gopal... 1679 A.D. " " ... Vinayak Umaji ... 1681 A.D.
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It is also certain that this principle survived Shivaji and continued down to the first decade of the 18th century so far as the appointment of Mudradharis was concerned. In support of this view Mr. Bhat has produced the following list of Mudradharis or officers in charge of Sajjangad :
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| Jijoji Katkar | ... | 1676 A.D. |
| Do | ... | 1682 A.D. |
| Makaji Katkar | ... | 1689 A.D. |
| Barhanji Mohite | ... | 1692 A.D. |
| Do. | ... | 1699 A.D. |
| Girjoji Bhonsle | ... | 1708 A.D. |
| Do. | ... | 1709 A.D. |
| Yesaji Jadhava, from | | |
| 11th Falgun | ... | 1709 A.D. |
| Satbaji Daval | ... | 1712 A.D. |
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Mr. Bhat further points out that Ambaji Mordeu, who was Subhedar of Jawli in 1676, occupied the office of the Subhedar of Satara from 1683-1685. Mahadji Shamraj, Subhedar of Jawli from 1706-1708, was formerly in charge of Prants Satara and Mawal.
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From the multiplicity of their duties these officers were liable to corruption. Public opinion in those days was not offended if a Havaldar went out of his way to take a small present from a traveller for granting his passport, or from an aggrieved petitioner for redressing his grievances. Dr. Fryer, who visited the Maratha dominions towards the close of Shivaji's career, has left a quaint account of such an occasion. "When I came before the Governor," says the Doctor,³⁹ "I found him in State, though under an Hovel; where were many *Brachmins* with Accompt Books, writing at some distance; nearer, his Privy council, with whom he seemed to advise: I was placed on his Left hand, and desired my Interpreter to acquaint him my Errand, withal intreating his Favour for my secure passing the Hill: He made it a piece of difficulty, and told me I must return to *Bimly* for Orders, to whose *Havaldar* he was accountable, not to him of *Gulleon*; which was within half a day's journey from whence I set forth. Hearing this I bore myself as sedately as I could, having been informed of the advantage they take of a disturbed Countenance; and sweetened him with his own Authority being sufficient, telling him of his Master's Kindness to the *English*, and their friendship towards him: which worked him to a yielding Temper; yet he scrupled my *Canister*, or Trunk, might be lined with Pearl, my Horse sold to the Enemy, hoping to suck somewhat out of me; I replying, What I had brought were at his liberty to search, and that I went only on an amicable account to Cure a Sick Person and should be as ready to serve him, if required, his Fury was quite pawled but perceiving an hungry look to hang on them all, and suspecting lest they should serve me some Dog-trick, I made a small Present, and he signing the Pass, dismissed me with a Bundle of *Pawn* the usual Ceremony at Parting." 'The hungry look' and the weakness for presents are perhaps pardonable, but another charge that the English Doctor brought against Shivaji's revenue officers is too serious to be overlooked.
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³⁹ Fryer, p. 127.
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Public officers in the 17th century whether Asiatic or European were not overscrupulous. But good kings, as a rule, exercised a strict control over them. Shivaji in particular was served by a very efficient intelligence department. It is an old practice in India to employ spies to watch over the conduct of government servants.³³ The work of District and Provincial officers was supervised by the Pant Amatya and the Pant Sachiv. Ranade tells us that "The district accounts had to be sent to these officers, and were there collated together, and irregularities detected and punished. These officers had power to depute men on their establishments to supervise the working of the district officers."³⁴ Shivaji, moreover, was very keen about the success of his government and wanted that his administration should compare favourably with that of his Muhammadan neighbours.³⁵ But all his cares and sound regulations were fruitless indeed if his revenue officers really worked as arbitrarily as Fryer says they did. "They are neither for Public Good or Common Honesty, but their own private Interest only: They refuse no Base Offices for their own Commodity, inviting Merchants to come and trade among them, and then rob them, or else turmoil them on account of Customs; always in a Corner getting more for themselves than their Master, yet openly must seem mighty zealous for their Master's Dues: So that Trade is unlikely to settle where he hath anything to do; notwithstanding his Country lies all along on the Sea-shore, and no Goods can be transported without his Permission; unless they go a great way about, as we are forced to do."
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³³ See Kautilya, Arthashastra translated by R. Shama Shastry, p. 35.
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³⁴ Ranade, R. M. P., p. 125.
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³⁵ Rajwade, M. I. S., Vol. VIII, p. 24.
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This is by no means the worst that the English traveller has to say against the Maratha officers. He continues—"It is a General Calamity, and much to be deplored, to hear the Complaints of the poor People that remain, or are rather compelled to endure the Slavery of Seva Gi: The Desies have Land imposed upon them at double the former Rates, and if they refuse to accept it on these hard Conditions (if Monied Men) they are carried to Prison, there they are famished almost to death; racked and tortured most inhumanly till they confess where it is: They have now in Limbo several *Brachmins*, whose Flesh they tear with pincers heated Red-hot, drub them on the Shoulders to extreme Anguish (though according to their Law it is forbidden to strike a *Brachmin*). This is the accustomed Sawce all *India* over, the Princes doing the same by the Governors, when removed from their Offices, to squeeze their illgot Estates out of them; which when they have done, it may be they may be employ'd again: And after this fashion the *Desies* deal with the *Combies*; so that the Great Fish prey on the Little, as well by Land as by Sea, bringing not only them, but their Families into Eternal Bondage."³⁶ Fryer was of opinion that even Bijapore rule was milder than that of Shivaji.
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³⁶ Fryer, pp. 146-147.
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If Fryer's account is borne out by facts, the state of the country was terrible indeed. But Fryer had made only a short trip through Shivaji's dominions and his stay there was by no means long. It does not appear probable that his account was based on personal experience or first hand knowledge of any other kind. Shivaji is still adored as an ideal king, and people referred to his institutions with admiration in days of anarchy and misrule. Traditions may be exaggerated, but they are never entirely baseless. Traditions attribute all sorts of good institutions to such good rulers as Alfred and Elizabeth, but legends have not hitherto paid any tribute to the memory of such bad kings as John and James II. It is a very important point that the memory of Shivaji* is still cherished by the people of Maharashtra as that of a great and good king. If he had really tortured his Brahman officers with red hot pincers and they in their turn had dealt out similar treatment to the Desais, Shivaji would not have been revered as an incarnation of Shri Shambhu Mahadev. We have already seen how the great Maratha had striven to liberate the poor peasants from the tyranny of the Deshmukhs and Deshpandes. It, therefore, seems improbable that he should allow his officers to force lands on the Desais at an exorbitant rate. Far from molesting any Brahman, Shivaji never offered any insult to holy men and holy places of his Muhammadan enemies. Although many temples and idols were defiled and desecrated by Muhammadan bigots, Shivaji never failed to send any copy of the Quran, he might come in possession of, to some of his Muslim officers. Even Khafi Khan, an inveterate enemy of the Maratha hero, paid him an unwilling compliment on that account.³⁷
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³⁷ Elliot and Dowson, Vol. VII, p. 260.
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Dellon, a French Physician, who visited the western coast about the same time as Fryer, remarks that "His (Shivaji's) subjects are pagans, like himself. But he tolerates all religions and is looked upon as one of the most politic princes in those parts."⁵⁸ Shivaji styled himself as *Go-Brahman Pratipalak*, 'Protector of Brahmans and cows,' and could hardly with any consistency to his professed ambition, overlook the conduct of his officers, if they really tortured the Brahmans. Fryer's story, therefore, seems to be baseless. Corruption there certainly existed, and instances of tyranny and misrule doubtless occurred. Shivaji, in the midst of those wars of conquest and defence, could hardly get any time for improving his government. But Fryer seems to have dipped his brush in the black dye too frequently while painting a picture of Shivaji's country. Grant Duff⁵⁹ says, "The Mahomedan writers, and one contemporary English traveller, describe his country as in the worst possible state; and the former only mention him as a depredator and destroyer; but those districts taken by him from Beejapore, which had been under the management of farmers and direct agents of government, probably experienced great benefit by the change."
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⁵⁸ Dellon, pp. 56-57.
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⁵⁹ Grant Duff, Vol. I, p. 188.