Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s6.10

c27.s6.10

It is certain that the Parsi Tabib did not get the inam in question for merely "Praying for the permanence of His Majesty's powerful Kingdom," but for his professional services to the suffering subjects of His Majesty. Any doubt on this point is removed by another document quoted by Professor Hodivala in his *Studies in Parsi History*. "The children of Qiam Tabib beg and request the evidence of all those, who have any knowledge of the matter, to state whether the person aforesaid cures the ailments of the needy poor and distressed of the township of Navasari and whether his means of subsistence depend on fifty Bighas extent of land with trees thereon, in the said township. If any one is cognizant of the fact of the aforesaid Tabib having cured the diseases of the needy and the indigent, let him affix, for God's sake, his testimony below, (for which) he will receive his reward from the Lord and deserve thanks from men."¹³ The request was answered by several Muhammadan gentlemen who attested to the truth of the statement and attached their seal and signature to the paper quoted above. It should be noted that the children of Qiam Tabib were the descendants of Mahr Tabib of the first document and it is clear that they enjoyed the inam in lieu of the service their ancestor and father rendered to the needy and the indigent of their native town. The Peshwas did not open hospitals and charitable dispensaries, they considered their duties performed when they granted some rent-free land in inam to some physician, whether he was a Hindu or a Muhammadan or even a Portuguese did not matter much, who had the public spirit and generosity of treating the poor and the indigent sick free of charge.