Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s16: 1. The Kotwal
Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s16
- Language
- English
1. The Kotwal
c27.s16.1
The Maratha Government like the Mughals had nothing to do with the rural police. The village headman kept rural peace as best as he could with the help of his Mahar watchmen. But the urban police was maintained by the state, and herein also we find another instance of the Marathas adopting the Muslim practice. The head of the city police was the *Kotwal*, and the origin of his office, as the name indicates was certainly Muhammadan. His principal duties as enumerated in a document dated 1767-68 were (for full particulars see Book II) (1) to dispose of important disputes within his jurisdiction, (2) to fix the prices of goods, (3) to supply labourers for Government work and to supervise sales and purchases of land, (4) to take a census and keep a record of all persons coming to and leaving the city. And over and above these he had to maintain peace and order in the city.
c27.s16.2
According to Abul Fazl also, "He (*Kotwal*) should keep a register of houses, and frequented roads, and engage the citizens in a pledge of reciprocal assistance and bind them to a common participation of weal and woe." "Of every guild of artificers, he should name one as guild master and another as broker, by whose intelligence the business of purchase and sale should be conducted." "He shall discover thieves and goods they have stolen or be responsible for the loss." "He should use his discretion in the reduction of prices and not allow purchases to be made outside the city." And "he shall examine the weights."¹ According to a Farman addressed by Akbar to all his officers, the *Kotwal* was required to supervise the purchase and sale of goods.² The *Kotwal* should according to Dastur-ul Aml, "summoning the watchmen and sweepers, take bonds from them that they should daily report to him the occurrences of every *mahalla* (ward of the city) without suppression or exaggeration." "Do justice," the *Kotwal* is advised, "that people may liken you to a quazi in the power of arriving at the truth of a case. On the public streets of the cities post careful men to act as watchmen from sunset to 9 P.M. and 9 P.M. to dawn, to scrutinise the wayfarers and arrest those whom they consider to be thieves and evil-doers, and bring them to you."³ Manucci says that "it was the kotwal's business to stop the distillation of arrack (spirits) the *eau-de-vie* used in the Indies. * * * He obtains information about all that goes on so as to be able to send in his report. * * * He also has the duty of arresting thieves and criminals. * * * It is also his business to collect the income from the town.⁴
c27.s16.3
¹ Jarrett, Ain-i-Akbari, Vol. II, pp. 41, 42.
c27.s16.4
² Bird, Gujrat, p. 402.
c27.s16.5
³ Sarkar, Mughal Administration, First Edition, pp. 94-95.
c27.s16.6
⁴ Manucci, ed. Irvine, Vol. II, pp. 420-421. Mr. Ramsbotham tells me that Eau-de-vie is more generally used for brandy, arrack was a rough kind of rum.
c27.s16.7
A comparison of the above two lists, the Maratha and the Mughal, of the Kotwal's duties leaves but little doubt that the Maratha Kotwal had to perform almost the same duties as those entrusted to his Muslim brother in a Mughal town. We have noticed elsewhere that the Maratha Kotwal's duties were to a great extent similar to those of the Nagaraka, the Mauryan Town Prefect. But it is doubtful whether the Marathas went so far from their own times in search of their ideal for a Police officer when it was easily available in the neighbouring Mughal cities.