Indian feudalism refers to the feudal society that made up India's social structure until the Mughal Dynasty in the 16th century. The Guptas and the Kushans played a major role in the introduction and practice of feudalism in India, and are examples of the decline of an empire caused by feudalism.
Use of the term feudalism to describe India applies a concept of medieval European origin, according to which the landed nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. Feudalism is most likely introduced to India when the Kushan Dynasty from Central Asia invaded India and introduced new policies of their own. The term Indian feudalism is used to describe taluqdar, zamindar, jagirdar, ghatwals, mulraiyats, sardar, mankari, deshmukh, chaudhary and samanta. Most of these systems were abolished after the independence of India and the rest of the subcontinent. D. D. Kosambi and R. S. Sharma, together with Daniel Thorner, brought peasants into the study of Indian history for the first time.[1]
Structure
Starting from the Gupta period the term samanta (feudal lord or nobleman) came to be applied to those granted land or to subjugated feudatory rulers. Weak enforcement of power over the conquered regions led to the resumption of independence and some high administrative positions became hereditary.[2] There is debate among historians whether the feudatory system in India qualifies as true feudalism, as apparently there was a lack of an economic contract between king, vassal and serf. Other historians however argue that the similarities are significant enough to describe it as feudalism. The essential characteristic was the decentralization of power. Samantas were officials granted lands instead of a salary and proceeded to seize ownership of the area while continuing to refer to themselves as vassals of their ruler. They were required to pay a small fraction of revenue and provide troops for the overlord. These lords often aped their royal suzerains, for instance, by constructing miniature royal palaces.[3] This encouraged the fragmentation of authority and growing parochialism which has been suggested as a cause for the weak resistance against Muslim conquest.[4]
The Bihar region (now a state) of India was a hotbed for feudalism. Feudalism first started when the Kushans ruled over India and flourished when the Gupta Empire ruled over Northern India. .[5]
Telangana
Doras and deshmukhs ruled the region until Hyderbad's annexation. They held all the land in their fief and everybody used to give their produce, and they used to be given barely enough food for sustenance. The rebellion against feudal lords, known as Vetti Chakiri Udhyamam, from 1946 to 1951 in Telangana region called as Telangana Rebellion illustrates the feudal society in the region.[6] The feudal lords used to reside in a high fortress called as Gadi,[7] for entering it they leave their footwear at the threshold of the gadi. The madigas and other backward classes were required to carry their footwear in their hands if they were passing in front of the gadi or dora.
A famous line which is repeated by the oppressed was “Banchen Dora née Kalmoktha (I am your slave my lord, I bow to your feet).[8]Shyam Benegal's films Ankur and Nishant depict Telangana's feudalism grahically. A Telugu film blockbuster, Maa Bhoomi, showed the society under feudal lords.
The Srikrishna committee on Telangana says in its findings that there is still gross injustice to the land tillers of the region, the villains, in this case, were landlords of Telangana and not those of other regions.[9]
There were a number of feudal states in Kerala in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era between the rule of Chera dynasty and the British rule (smaller feudal estates remained even during British rule). In Kerala, Kshatriyas, Nairs, and Samantha Kshatriyas were prominent during feudalism. Nairs acted as both feudals as well as warriors.
Several zamindaris were established in the Madras Presidency (present-day Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas) from 1799 onwards. The largest of these were Arni, Ramnad, Ganapur and Sivaganga. The zamindari settlement was based on a similar settlement established in Bengal. The Zamindari settlement of Madras was largely unsuccessful and was wrapped up in 1852. However, a few Zamindaris remained till India's independence in 1947.
North Arcot
North Arcot region was under Jagirdars until the Indian independence. The largest estate was that of Arni, a deshastha royal family. Arni estate was larger than Sandur princely state.
Northern Andhra
The Northern Andhra region was under Telaga doras until the Indian Independence. The largest estate was that of Vizianagram under the Poosapati kshatriya family which was liberal and enlightened.
Rayalaseema
The Rayalaseema region was under Ayyagaru until the independence. The largest estate was that of Panyam; which was ruled by a deshastha royal family of Vishvamitra gotra and was liberal and enlightened.
^B Vijay Murty (2010-12-16). . Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
^I Thirumali. Dora and. Gadi: Manifestation of Landlord. Domination in Telangana.
^. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 13 August 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
^. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
^Panel finds no data to prove T backwardness, Deccan Chronicle December 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^"Saraswatichandra (1968)". January 21, 2010. Retrieved Feb 8, 2013.
Bibliography
R.S. Sharma, Perspectives in Social and Economic History of Early India, paperback edn., (Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 2003). Translated into Hindi, Russian and Bengali. Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu translations projected.
R.S. Sharma, Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India, (Macmillan Publishers, Delhi, 1985). Translated into Hindi, Russian and Bengali. Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu translations projected.
R.S. Sharma, Urban Decay in India (c.300-1000), (Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1987). Translated into Hindi and Bengali
R.S. Sharma, Early Medieval Indian Society: A Study in Feudalisation (Orient Longman Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, 2003)
R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past, (Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN978-0-19-568785-9)
R.S. Sharma, Indian Feudalism (Macmillan Publishers India Ltd., 3rd Revised Edition, Delhi, 2005)
R.S. Sharma, The State and Varna Formations in the Mid-Ganga Plains: An Ethnoarchaeological View (New Delhi, Manohar, 1996)
R.S. Sharma, Origin of the State in India (Dept. of History, University of Bombay, 1989)
R.S. Sharma, Land Revenue in India: Historical Studies, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1971
Historiography of Indian Feudalism Towards a Model of Early Medieval Indian Economy, C. A.D. 600-1000, by Vijay Kumar Thakur. Commonwealth Publishers, 1989. ISBN81-7169-032-7.
Dora and. Gadi: Manifestation of Landlord Domination in Telangana, I Thirumali, 1992
Against Dora and Nizam : People's Movement in Telangana 1939-1948, I Thirumali
"Chillarollu's Defiances in Telangana, 1900-1944" Indian Historical Review, XXII, 1995-1996
Origin and Growth of Feudalism in Early India: From the Mauryas to AD 650, by Gian Chand Chauhan. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2004. ISBN81-215-1028-7.
May 16, 2023
indian, feudalism, book, sharan, sharma, indian, feudalism, book, refers, feudal, society, that, made, india, social, structure, until, mughal, dynasty, 16th, century, guptas, kushans, played, major, role, introduction, practice, feudalism, india, examples, de. For the book by Ram Sharan Sharma see Indian Feudalism book Indian feudalism refers to the feudal society that made up India s social structure until the Mughal Dynasty in the 16th century The Guptas and the Kushans played a major role in the introduction and practice of feudalism in India and are examples of the decline of an empire caused by feudalism Mehtab Chand 1820 79 the zamindar of the Burdwan feudal estate in Bengal A Maratha Durbar showing the Chief Raja and the nobles Sardars Jagirdars Istamuradars amp Mankaris of the state Contents 1 Terminology 2 Structure 3 Bihar 4 Telangana 5 Kerala 6 Madras Presidency 7 North Arcot 8 Northern Andhra 9 Rayalaseema 10 Vidarbha 11 In literature 12 See also 13 References 14 BibliographyTerminology EditUse of the term feudalism to describe India applies a concept of medieval European origin according to which the landed nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles while the peasants villeins or serfs were obliged to live on their lord s land and give him homage labor and a share of the produce notionally in exchange for military protection Feudalism is most likely introduced to India when the Kushan Dynasty from Central Asia invaded India and introduced new policies of their own The term Indian feudalism is used to describe taluqdar zamindar jagirdar ghatwals mulraiyats sardar mankari deshmukh chaudhary and samanta Most of these systems were abolished after the independence of India and the rest of the subcontinent D D Kosambi and R S Sharma together with Daniel Thorner brought peasants into the study of Indian history for the first time 1 Structure EditStarting from the Gupta period the term samanta feudal lord or nobleman came to be applied to those granted land or to subjugated feudatory rulers Weak enforcement of power over the conquered regions led to the resumption of independence and some high administrative positions became hereditary 2 There is debate among historians whether the feudatory system in India qualifies as true feudalism as apparently there was a lack of an economic contract between king vassal and serf Other historians however argue that the similarities are significant enough to describe it as feudalism The essential characteristic was the decentralization of power Samantas were officials granted lands instead of a salary and proceeded to seize ownership of the area while continuing to refer to themselves as vassals of their ruler They were required to pay a small fraction of revenue and provide troops for the overlord These lords often aped their royal suzerains for instance by constructing miniature royal palaces 3 This encouraged the fragmentation of authority and growing parochialism which has been suggested as a cause for the weak resistance against Muslim conquest 4 Bihar EditMain article Zamindars of Bihar The Bihar region now a state of India was a hotbed for feudalism Feudalism first started when the Kushans ruled over India and flourished when the Gupta Empire ruled over Northern India 5 Telangana EditDoras and deshmukhs ruled the region until Hyderbad s annexation They held all the land in their fief and everybody used to give their produce and they used to be given barely enough food for sustenance The rebellion against feudal lords known as Vetti Chakiri Udhyamam from 1946 to 1951 in Telangana region called as Telangana Rebellion illustrates the feudal society in the region 6 The feudal lords used to reside in a high fortress called as Gadi 7 for entering it they leave their footwear at the threshold of the gadi The madigas and other backward classes were required to carry their footwear in their hands if they were passing in front of the gadi or dora A famous line which is repeated by the oppressed was Banchen Dora nee Kalmoktha I am your slave my lord I bow to your feet 8 Shyam Benegal s films Ankur and Nishant depict Telangana s feudalism grahically A Telugu film blockbuster Maa Bhoomi showed the society under feudal lords The Srikrishna committee on Telangana says in its findings that there is still gross injustice to the land tillers of the region the villains in this case were landlords of Telangana and not those of other regions 9 Kerala EditMain article History of medieval Kerala There were a number of feudal states in Kerala in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era between the rule of Chera dynasty and the British rule smaller feudal estates remained even during British rule In Kerala Kshatriyas Nairs and Samantha Kshatriyas were prominent during feudalism Nairs acted as both feudals as well as warriors Madras Presidency EditMain article List of zamindari estates in Madras Presidency Several zamindaris were established in the Madras Presidency present day Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas from 1799 onwards The largest of these were Arni Ramnad Ganapur and Sivaganga The zamindari settlement was based on a similar settlement established in Bengal The Zamindari settlement of Madras was largely unsuccessful and was wrapped up in 1852 However a few Zamindaris remained till India s independence in 1947 North Arcot EditNorth Arcot region was under Jagirdars until the Indian independence The largest estate was that of Arni a deshastha royal family Arni estate was larger than Sandur princely state Northern Andhra EditThe Northern Andhra region was under Telaga doras until the Indian Independence The largest estate was that of Vizianagram under the Poosapati kshatriya family which was liberal and enlightened Rayalaseema EditThe Rayalaseema region was under Ayyagaru until the independence The largest estate was that of Panyam which was ruled by a deshastha royal family of Vishvamitra gotra and was liberal and enlightened Vidarbha EditThis section has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages The neutrality of this article is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The feudal lords in Vidarbha region are notorious for their oppressive rule In literature EditIndian Feudalism by Ram Sharan Sharma Saraswatichandra by Govardhanram Madhavaram Tripathi later adapted into film by the same name in 1968 10 See also EditDebt bondage in India Caste system in India Feudalism in Pakistan Princely states of IndiaReferences Edit Habib Irfan 2007 Essays in Indian History Tulika p 381 at p 109 ISBN 978 81 85229 00 3 1 Encyclopaedia Britannica 2 Encyclopaedia Britannica 3 Encyclopaedia Britannica B Vijay Murty 2010 12 16 Food that s not fit for humans Hindustan Times Archived from the original on 2011 01 19 Retrieved 2011 10 14 I Thirumali Dora and Gadi Manifestation of Landlord Domination in Telangana Spat over portfolio The Hindu Archived from the original on 13 August 2004 Retrieved 6 February 2012 KCR s comments on Nizam s rule raise hackles NEWS ANALYSIS The Hindu Archived from the original on 8 December 2007 Retrieved 6 February 2012 Panel finds no data to prove T backwardness Deccan Chronicle Archived December 18 2010 at the Wayback Machine Saraswatichandra 1968 January 21 2010 Retrieved Feb 8 2013 Bibliography EditR S Sharma Perspectives in Social and Economic History of Early India paperback edn Munshiram Manoharlal Delhi 2003 Translated into Hindi Russian and Bengali Gujarati Kannada Malayalam Marathi Tamil and Telugu translations projected R S Sharma Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India Macmillan Publishers Delhi 1985 Translated into Hindi Russian and Bengali Gujarati Kannada Malayalam Marathi Tamil and Telugu translations projected R S Sharma Urban Decay in India c 300 1000 Munshiram Manoharlal Delhi 1987 Translated into Hindi and Bengali R S Sharma Early Medieval Indian Society A Study in Feudalisation Orient Longman Publishers Pvt Ltd Delhi 2003 R S Sharma India s Ancient Past Oxford University Press 2005 ISBN 978 0 19 568785 9 R S Sharma Indian Feudalism Macmillan Publishers India Ltd 3rd Revised Edition Delhi 2005 R S Sharma The State and Varna Formations in the Mid Ganga Plains An Ethnoarchaeological View New Delhi Manohar 1996 R S Sharma Origin of the State in India Dept of History University of Bombay 1989 R S Sharma Land Revenue in India Historical Studies Motilal Banarsidass Delhi 1971 Historiography of Indian Feudalism Towards a Model of Early Medieval Indian Economy C A D 600 1000 by Vijay Kumar Thakur Commonwealth Publishers 1989 ISBN 81 7169 032 7 Dora and Gadi Manifestation of Landlord Domination in Telangana I Thirumali 1992 Against Dora and Nizam People s Movement in Telangana 1939 1948 I Thirumali Chillarollu s Defiances in Telangana 1900 1944 Indian Historical Review XXII 1995 1996 Origin and Growth of Feudalism in Early India From the Mauryas to AD 650 by Gian Chand Chauhan Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers 2004 ISBN 81 215 1028 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indian feudalism amp oldid 1137730700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
