Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s7: 3. The Patil's Rights and Perquisites
Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s7
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3. The Patil's Rights and Perquisites
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The village magistrate, though very useful to the Peshwa's administration, was not paid by him. It is by the villagers that he was paid, and the items of his remuneration would be quite interesting to a modern reader. In the year 1653 (Shaka) half the Patilki watan of Bhangaon in Pargana Karde of Sarkar Junnar in Subha Khujaste Buniyad was sold for Rs. 7,751 by Bangoji Kudanda to Gorkhoji Bhapkar. Bangoji sold his watan with wadilpan or seniority-rights and retained the rest of the rights and perquisites of the office for himself In the deed of sale we find a detailed description of all the rights and perquisites of a Patilki watan. Bangoji also carefully recounts the occasions when Gorkhoji was to have precedence over the original owner. Detailed items of these Manpan and Hakks are given below :
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1. All documents to be signed, first by Gorkhoji and then by Bangoji.
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2. Present to Government should be made by Gorkhoji and not by Bangoji.
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3. Shirpav and betel leaves from government should be received first by Gorkhoji and then by Bangoji.
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4. In the Pola procession Gorkhoji's bullock should go first and Bangoji's behind it through the village gate.
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5. The Mang and Mahar should tie the toran and give red paint first in Gorkhoji's house and then in Bangoji's.
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6. On the occasion of the Dewali festivals the band should be played first at Gorkhoji Patil's house and then in Bangoji Patil's. The Koli should pour water first at Gorkhoji Patil's house and then at Bangoji Patil's.
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6. Gorkhoji's Ganesh and Gaur procession should come first and stop at Durga Mata, then Bangoji's Ganesh and Gaur procession should come there. In the joint procession Gorkhoji's gods should go first and Bangoji's behind them.
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7. The Holi cake to be brought and presented to the Holi first by Bangoji and then by Gorkhoji. At the Dasra time, the music should be first played at Bangoji's and then at Gorkhoji's house. The Mali of the village should bring flowers, and the Gurav should bring vavri to Bangoji's house first and then to Gorkhoji's.
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8. At the Dasra time Bangoji should first worship the Apta plant and Gorkhoji next.
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9. Bangoji's Shiralshet procession should come with music first and stop. Gorkhoji's procession should then come with music, and the two processions should then jointly proceed. In the joint procession Bangoji's should have precedence over Gorkhoji's.
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10. Betel leaves and *tilak* from the village should be given to Bangoji first and to Gorkhoji next.
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The Brahman is to conduct the Tulsipuja on the Kartik Ekadashi day at Bangoji's house first and then at Gorkhoji's.
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The Harijagran of the Kartik Amabasya Pratipad should first be performed by Bangoji Patil and then by Gorkhoji on the next day.
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The Mahar should supply a bundle of fuel first at Bangoji Patil's house and then at Gorkhoji's.
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When ploughing is done, permission should be taken by the Kulkarni from both the Mokdams.
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Equal rights to be enjoyed by both:
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1. The Patil's Shelpati dues of 1½ maunds per boat-load of grain.
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2. Twenty-five bundles of jawar stick from each cultivator.
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3. Five seers of cotton from each field.
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4. One bundle of jawar from each cultivator.
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5. Two pairs of shoes per year from the shoemaker.
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6. One bundle of green fodder from each cultivator.
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7. Nine taks of oil for each oil-pressing machine from the oil-presser.
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8. Thirteen leaves from each shop of betel leaves daily.
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9. One lump of molasses, one bundle of sugarcanes and one tin of juice from each farm (growing sugarcane) excepting that belonging to the Joshi.
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10. One goat from each herd on the Dasra day.
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11. One piece of cloth per loom per year from all classes of weavers.
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12. From the loom of a Dhangar one piece of cloth per year.
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13. Half a cocoanut for every marriage negotiation, marriage and widow re-marriage.
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14. Vegetables from vegetable growers.
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15. One *wafa* of all produce except corn from each farm.
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16. Customary share from each seller in the market.
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17. Customary rent for each Bania's shop.
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18. One-fourth seer per bag of grocery from each grocer's shop.
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19. The customary amount of salt and chaff per bag.
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20. *Bahejama*, Rs. 25 (a tax on new comers) per annum.
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21. One nut per day from each grocer's shop.
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The income from the above dues should be divided equally between Gorkhoji and Bangoji Patils.
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Half of the Mokdam-vada (Mokadam's house) should be enjoyed by Bangoji and the other half by Gorkhoji.
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If any Inam of *jirayat* land is secured from Hakim, Deshpande and Deshmukh it should be equally divided between the two.
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Any customary present and game from hunting should be divided between the two; Gorkhoji should first take his share and then Bangoji should take his.
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All dues and profits from any new suburb should be enjoyed by both.
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The hide of their dead cattle should be given them by the Mahar.
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Both the Mokdams should realise their dues from all the villagers except the Bhapkar and the Kudanda families.
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Any old right or perquisite not mentioned in this list or any new right or dues that may hereafter be created, should be enjoyed by both Gorkhoji and Bangoji.
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Then follows a detailed description of the partition of land enjoyed by the Patil by virtue of his office.⁸
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⁸ P.D., Vol. I, Shahu Chhatrapati, pp. 146-151.
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The schedule of this deed of sale, however, does not exhaust all the profits of the Patil's watan as his rights and perquisites varied at different places. In the year 1777-78, during the administration of the second Madhava Rao, the traders of (tailors, dyers and weavers, etc.) Kasba Sangamner complained against Keroji Patil Gunjal for undue exaction. In the detailed order that was passed, were enumerated some of the old dues and some new transgressions made by the Patil of Sangamner. It prohibits several taxes and reduces others. The Shravan patti, Shimganach patti and all new items of forced labour are forbidden altogether. The taxes on marriage and widow re-marriage and another tax called Karla are regulated. It is, therefore, certain that the Patil of Sangamner got Rs. 1-4-0 as Patdam (tax on widow re-marriage) and a shela worth Rs. 1-4-0 from every marriage party coming from another village, and one rupee for Karla.⁹
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⁹ P.D., Vol. VI, pp. 328-329.
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A Sanad of the time of Balaji Baji Rao mentions one blanket every alternate year from the shepherds.
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The above documents clearly show that the Patil's salary, if salary it was, was paid in kind and not in cash. Every villager gave him some shares of his produce, *e.g.*, the betel-leave sellers gave him 13 leaves per day, the Bania or grocer daily gave him a nut and he got vegetables, green fodders, cotton, oil, and sugar, in short all the necessaries of life including a pair of shoes from his fellow-villagers in recognition of his public services. Out of the *jirayat* and *bagayat* land he got a few acres. Above all, the Patil enjoyed some social distinction. In processions of Pola, Ganesh Gauri, and Shiralshet and at the time of the Holi and the Dasra, the Patil enjoyed precedence over all his fellow-villagers. Even Muhammadan Patils exercised the right of offering Holi cake, although it was a purely Hindu festival.¹⁰ Sometimes a lady from the Patil family had to be invited to a marriage dinner in the village, not as a matter of courtesy, but as a matter of right. There was a civil suit about this right in A.D. 1774-75, between two branches of the Patil family of Mauja Girbi, Pargana Phaltan, and the right was awarded after careful enquiry to the representatives of the elder branch.¹¹
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¹⁰ P.D., Vol. I, pp. 218-219. Here however the Muhammadan in question claimed shetepan.
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¹¹ P. D., Vol. VI, pp. 317-319. The following passages in the Saransh or summary of the case will illustrate this statement: In the meantime, last year without inviting to the marriage a lady from the elder Mokdam's family as she should have been, Bhikaji complained to late Shrimant Narayan Rao Pandit Pradhan. And again, "a lady (Suvasin, literally means a lady whose husband is alive) from your family should be invited."
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As the Patil enjoyed these social distinctions he had to make a corresponding return. It seems that custom required him to feed the balutas at the time of religious festivals. The government was in possession of the Patilki watan of Mauja Khodad, Tarf Narayangaon, Prant Junnar, about the year 1749-50, and we find a letter addressed to the Kamavisdar in charge, ordering him not to give more than two feasts in the year.
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"A sanad to Govind Keshava, Kamavisdar in charge of Mauja Khodad, Tarf Narayangaon, Prant Junnar. There are twelve balutas. It is usual to give them feasts on festive occasions. You requested that an order should be passed about these feasts. Upon that it is ordered that only two feasts should be given per year. So give only two feasts per year, there is no necessity of giving more.¹² It may be noted here that considering the standard of living of those days, the Patil's office was a lucrative one, and he was perhaps better off than a Deputy Collector under the British administration.
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¹² P. D., Vol. III, p. 364.
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The Patil, however, fully deserved his social distinction and high remuneration. For, if his social position and remuneration were high, the responsibility and the risks of his office were very great too. He was liable to be imprisoned for failure to pay the stipulated revenue of the village, and when an invader or a rebel levied *khandani* or contribution on the village it was the Patil who had to stand surety for his co-villagers, and had to remain as a hostage in the enemy's camp till his demand was satisfied. The Patil of Nimbgaon Sava, Tarf Ale, was imprisoned by the Killedar of Nimbgiri in the year 1742-43 for arrears of jagir dues. The Killedar, when ordered to release the Patil calmly ignored the letter and further increased his rigours by putting the man in irons.¹³
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¹³ The Killedar of fort Nimbgiri arrested the Patil of Nimbgaon Sava Tarf Ale, for arrears in Jagir dues. He does not release him. Ignoring the letter from Huzur ordering release he has put the Patil in irons." P. D., Vol. III, p. 219.