Administrative System of the Marathas c23.s13.24

c23.s13.24

2. *Rahadari* or *Rahdari*, a duty levied on goods or merchandise in transit through land, appears from its Persian name to be a tax of purely Muhammadan origin, but in reality it is an old tax (*Vartani*) frequently mentioned by Kautilya. "The officer in charge of boundaries (*Antapala*)," says he, "shall receive a pana and a quarter as road cess (Vartani) on each load of merchandise." ²³ Again, "In boundaries, ferry men shall receive the toll, carriage cess and road cess." ²⁴ One of the duties of Revenue Collectors and spies was that they should ascertain the amount of road cess. ²⁵ Shukra authorised the king to levy this cess not only upon the merchants but all who had occasion to use the royal road. "For the preservation and repair of the streets, he should have dues from those who use the streets." ²⁶