Administrative System of the Marathas c23.s9.18

c23.s9.18

I do not contend that the imposts mentioned in the Munoli temple inscription and the voluntary gifts enumerated in the Siyadoni inscription were in all respects identical with the dues of the Patil. According to Manu the village officer was entitled to all that the king could expect from a village. Kautilya says that in lieu of a tax in cash some villages were allowed to pay the royal tax in the shape of grains, dairy products, labour, military service, etc. In the above two inscriptions we find that imposts of betel-leaves, and a certain measure of oil from each oil mill were made in favour of a god. Is it quite unreasonable to suppose that the betel-leaf seller, the oilman, the shoemaker, the areca-nut seller (grocer) had similarly offered to give the Patil a share of their produce, to which he was entitled according to the laws of Manu, and the existing imposts in favour of the village headman had led to similar imposition in favour of the village god?