Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s6: 2. The Patil
Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s6
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2. The Patil
c18.s6.1
The chief man in the village was the Patil. He was the chief revenue officer, the chief Police Magistrate, and he united in him the function of the chief judicial officer also. He acted as an intermediary between the villagers and the Peshwa's officer and served as a link between the village and the suzerain state. In the village he had the advantage of acting as the exponent of the Peshwa's authority, and before the Kamavisdar or the Mamlatdar he appeared as the authorised representative of his village. As the officer responsible for revenue collection, he was consulted by the Kamavisdar at the time of assessment; if the assessment was too high, he had the right to protest, and in case the Kamavisdar still remained obstinate, the Patil could bring him to reason by leaving the village and making any collection whatever impossible. That they actually had recourse to this step in extreme cases can be proved by a letter, dated 1773-74. It runs: "A sanad to Gopal Rao Bhagwant Kamavisdar, Pargana Indapur. The *kharif* and *rabi* crops of the aforesaid Pargana failed owing to drought. The Patils wanted a new inspection of the fields to be made and the rate of rent revised accordingly; and they retired to Tenbhurni (to enforce their claim). You wrote that they should be brought back and an inspection of fields made, and collection made accordingly" (1773-74 Madhava Rao II).³ The prayer was granted in this case. Another document says that "The Zamindars and Patils of Taluk Shivner, being dissatisfied, left their place and went to Kasba Ale. A Karkun was sent to them and they made known their grievances. You sent a written account of these grievances to the Huzur and they were as follows.⁴ It is needless to say that in this case also the Patils succeeded in making their grievances heard and in getting them redressed. On another occasion (1775-76) the Patils of Pargana Sinnar succeeded in compelling the Kamavisdar to accept the Zamindars as sureties for the cultivation of land and payment of revenue.⁵ But it was only in extreme cases that the Patil had recourse to this extreme measure. Generally they would represent their case to the Peshwa as did the Patil and Kulkarni of Mauja Rajapur, Pargana Wan.⁶
c18.s6.2
³ P.D., Vol. VI, p. 230.
c18.s6.3
⁴ P.D., Vol. VI, p. 227.
c18.s6.4
⁵ Antaji Krishna Kamavisdar of Pargana Sinnar was informed that owing to his refusal to accept the Zamindars as sureties for the cultivation of land and payment of revenue, the Patils of villages absented themselves from their villages and loss of revenue had resulted thereby. He was, therefore, directed to ask them to stand security. P.D., Vol. VI, p. 321.
c18.s6.5
⁶ The Jagir Amal of the village of Rajapur in Pargana Wan, belonged to Government and the Mokasa, Babti and Sardeshmukhi Amal to the Pant Pratinidhi. The Kamavisdar over-assessed the village without taking into account the actual condition of cultivation, and in consequence of this as well as of scarcity, the villages became very poor. Therefore the Patil and the Kulkarni of the village came to the Huzur and represented that arrangement should be made from the Sarkar. Therefore, the work of cultivation of the aforesaid Mauja is entrusted to you. Therefore have the village cultivated and realise the rent with care. P.D., Vol. VI, p. 220.
c18.s6.6
As a judicial officer it was the Patil's duty to induce the parties in a suit to come to an amicable settlement, and if amicable settlement or arbitration failed, to appoint a Panchayat.⁷
c18.s6.7
⁷ B. I. S. M. Tritiya Sammelan Vritta, p. 51.
c18.s6.8
As a police officer, he enquired into cases of theft and robbery and had under him the village watchmen.
c18.s6.9
The Patil was, however, not an elected officer, nor could he be appointed by the government. His was a hereditary office which could be sold and purchased; and sometimes under pressure for money, unable to retain, yet reluctant to part with all the rights and perquisites of his office, the Patil disposed of some of them by sale and retained others. Thus there could be more than one Patil in a village. When the Patilship was enjoyed by several members of the family, the elder branch always enjoyed some additional privileges known as *wadilpan* or rights of seniority. Although not a very important point, yet it may be incidentally mentioned here that the Patil was seldom a Brahman; Muhammadan Patils were by no means rare.