Indian feudalism refers to the feudal society that made up India's social structure until the formation of the Republic of India in the 20th century.
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. The term Indian feudalism is used to describe taluqdars, zamindars, and jagirdars. 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]
The Bihar region (now a state) of India was a hotbed for feudalism. Feudal lords ruled the region for decades; semi-feudal conditions still exist. As a result, child malnourishment is common, in spite of modern Bihar's status as having the fastest growth in gross domestic product in India. [2]
The region implemented a feudal system known as the ‘Zamindari system’ and was largely controlled by doras and deshmukhs until Hyderabad's annexation. The landlords or feudal lords held large tracts of land in their fief and were responsible for collecting taxes from the peasants who worked the land, a portion of which would be paid to the Nizam of Hyderabad. The peasants were tenants under the feudal lords and cultivated this land, paying rent in the form of a share of their produce or money to the feudal lords. The peasants had very little security and were often subjected to high taxes, forced labor, and various forms of abuse and exploitation. The oppression experienced by the lower class in the Telangana region (now a state) ultimately led to the Telangana Rebellion against the feudal lords (known in Telugu as Vetti Chakiri Udhyamam) which took place from 1946 to 1951. [3] The feudal lords used to reside in a high fortress called as Gadi, [4] for entering it they leave their footwear at the threshold of the gadi. The Madigas and other lower castes were required to carry their footwear in their hands if they were passing in front of the gadi or dora.
The phrase “Banchen Dora née Kalmoktha“ became a popular saying during the rebellion, capturing the peasants’ deep-rooted resentment towards the feudal lords. The phrase literally means “I am your slave my lord, I bow to your feet” and reflected the severe exploitation of the peasants under the oppressive feudal system. [5] Shyam Benegal's films Ankur and Nishant graphically depict feudalism in Telangana, while the Telugu film Maa Bhoomi accurately portrays the lifestyle of peasants under feudal lords as well as the socio-economic struggles which led to the rebellion.
The Srikrishna Committee on Telangana has stated in its findings that there is still gross injustice to the land tillers of the region, the villains, in this case, being the landlords of Telangana and not those of other regions. [6]
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 Raj (smaller feudal estates remained even during British rule). In Kerala, Kshatriyas, Nairs, and Samantha Kshatriyas were prominent during feudalism. Nairs acted as both feudal lords as well as warriors.
Initially, Madhya Pradesh was inhabited by numerous tribes who lived in densely forested regions with no semblance of authority. However, sometime after the fall of the Yadavas of Devagiri, a feudal structure began emerging among these tribes. [7] Many petty chieftains belonging to tribes such as the Gonds began ruling small areas in Madhya Pradesh which they sometimes fortified as a defensive measure against Islamic kingdoms such as the Malwa Sultanate and Bijapur Sultanate. Gond chieftains such as that of Lanji in Balaghat district ruled from strong forts called garhs. These tribal zamindars served their overlord kingdom in times of war but could also be a nuisance when they rebelled. [8]
These zamindars enjoyed privileges under the native Gond kingdoms such as Garha-Mandla, Chanda and Deogarh. However, after the Maratha conquest of these regions by General Raghuji Bhonsle, these zamindars were displaced from the plains and were forced to retreat into the forest areas. They had to pay tribute to Raghuji Bhonsle and his descendants from then on, and often rebelled against the later oppressive Maratha rule. [8] Many of these zamindars rebelled in the Revolt of 1857 against the English East India Company, were defeated, their leaders executed and the feudal lands annexed to direct British territory as a result. However, some of them were still ruling after 1857 but their family lines died out and those who survived gave up their estates in exchange for pensions.
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 region was under jagirdars until the Indian independence. The largest estate was that of Arni, a Deshastha family. Arni estate was larger than Sandur princely state.
The Northern Andhra region was under Telaga doras until the Indian independence. The largest estate was that of Vizianagaram under the Poosapati kshatriya family which was liberal and enlightened.
The Rayalaseema region was under Ayyagaru until the independence. The largest estate was that of Panyam; which was ruled by a Deshastha family of Vishvamitra gotra (lineage) and was liberal and enlightened.
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The feudal lords in Vidarbha region are notorious for their oppressive rule.
A zamindar in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semi-autonomous feudal ruler of a zamindari. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals, Marathas and later the British had begun using it as a native synonym for "estate". The term means landowner in Persian. They were typically hereditary, and held the right to collect tax on behalf of imperial courts or for military purposes.
All India Kisan Sabha, is the peasant or farmers' wing of the Communist Party of India, an important peasant movement formed by Sahajanand Saraswati in 1936.
Reddy is a Hindu caste that originated in northern India and predominantly settled in modern-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in South India. They are classified as a forward caste.
Deshmukh (IAST:Dēśamukh), is a historical title conferred to the rulers of a Dēśamukhi. It is used as a surname in certain regions of India, especially in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana and also in Andhra Pradesh and northern parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Goa whose family received it as a title.
Velama is an upper caste found mainly in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The earliest recorded use of the term "Velama" to refer to a community dates back to the 11th century. In the caste-based hierarchy, they hold a high position alongside the Reddy, Kapu/Telaga and Kamma castes. In Telangana, they are referred to as "Dora" (Lord) by other castes, a term that signifies a high level of respect. The modern Velama community is divided into four distinct categories: Padmanayaka Velama, Adi Velama, Koppula Velama, and Polinati Velama. Although these groups are separate, they share a common social identity and are unified under the Velama community.
Ram Sharan Sharma was an Indian historian and Indologist who specialised in the history of Ancient and early Medieval India. He taught at Patna University and Delhi University (1973–85) and was visiting faculty at University of Toronto (1965–1966). He also was a senior fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He was a University Grants Commission National Fellow (1958–81) and the president of Indian History Congress in 1975. It was during his tenure as the dean of Delhi University's History Department that major expansion of the department took place in the 1970s. The creation of most of the positions in the department were the results of his efforts. He was the founding Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and a historian of international repute.
The Singranatore family is the consanguineous name given to a noble family in Rajshahi of landed aristocracy in erstwhile East Bengal and West Bengal that were prominent in the nineteenth century till the fall of the monarchy in India by Royal Assent in 1947 and subsequently abolished by the newly formed democratic Government of East Pakistan in 1950 by the State Acquisition Act.
Maa Bhoomi is a 1979 Indian Telugu-language social problem film directed by Goutam Ghose in his debut. The film is produced by B. Narsing Rao, who also wrote the film with Goutam Ghose. The film is based on the novel Jab Khet Jage by Krishan Chander on the Telangana Rebellion in Hyderabad State. It depicts a typical life of villagers under feudalistic society in the Telangana region. The film features Sai Chand, Rami Reddy and Telangana Shakuntala in pivotal roles. The plot follows Ramayya, a landless peasant who joins the Telangana Rebellion of 1948.
The Sonbarsa Raj was a medieval chieftaincy and later a zamindari (estate) during British Raj in modern-day Bihar, in erstwhile Bhagalpur district. It was controlled by the Bhumihar.
Suddala Hanmanthu was a noted Indian poet of the mid 1900s. He wrote songs like Palleturi pillagada... pasulagaase monagaada....
The Tekari Raj was a zamindari estate of the Bhumihar Brahmin community in South Bihar. They controlled 2,046 villages on their estate, which covered a 7,500 square kilometres (2,900 sq mi) area, near to the town of Gaya.
Feudalism in contemporary Pakistan usually refers to the power and influence of large landowning families, particularly through very large estates and in more remote areas. The adjective "feudal" in the context of Pakistan has been used to mean "a relatively small group of politically active and powerful landowners." "Feudal attitude" refers to "a combination of arrogance and entitlement." According to the Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research (PILER), five percent of agricultural households in Pakistan own nearly two-thirds of Pakistan's farmland.
Komaram Bheem (1901–1940), alternatively Kumram Bheem, was a revolutionary leader in Hyderabad State of British India from the Gond tribes. Bheem, in association with other Gond leaders, led a protracted low intensity rebellion against the feudal Nizams of Hyderabad in the eastern part of the princely state during the 1930s, which contributed in the culmination of the Telangana Rebellion of 1946.
The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950 was a law passed by the newly formed democratic Government of East Bengal in the Dominion of Pakistan. The bill was drafted on 31 March 1948 during the early years of Pakistan and passed on 16 May 1951. Before passage of the legislature, landed revenue laws of Bengal consisted of the Permanent Settlement Regulations of 1793 and the Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885.
Inukonda Thirumali, or Acharya Thirumali is an Indian historian, and was an activist for separate statehood for Telangana. He is the chairman of Joint Action Committee of Telangana, Praja Sanghalu.
Zamindars of Natore were influential aristocratic Bengali Zamindars, who owned large estates in what is today Natore District in Bangladesh .
Rajputs in Bihar are members of the Rajput community living in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. They traditionally formed part of the feudal elite in Bihari society. Rajputs were pressed with the Zamindari abolition and Bhoodan movement in post-independence India; along with other Forward Castes, they lost their significant position in Bihar's agrarian society, leading to the rise of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The Zamindars of Bihar were the autonomous and semi-autonomous rulers and administrators of the subah of Bihar during Mughal rule and later during British rule. They formed the landed aristocracy that lasted until Indian independence in 1947. The zamindars of Bihar were numerous and could be divided into small, medium and large depending on how much land they controlled. Within Bihar, the zamindars had both economic and military power. Each zamindari would have their own standing army which was typically composed of their own clansmen.
Ghatwali was a feudal tenure/jagir for quasi-military services, only found in the district of Santhal Parganas and some parts of Munger. The ruling chiefs of these jagir were known as Ghatwals. They were responsible for maintaining safety, security, and law enforcement in their estate using a force of archers and Berkandazes. The Deoghar subdivision consisted of 53 Ghatwalis among which the largest were Rohini, Pathrol, Baman-ganwa, Kukraha, Garsara, Teor and Burhe. The Deoghar ghatwali were formed under the Birbhum Raj in the 18th century to defend against the invasion of Marathas and neighbouring rulers. Kharna estate was another prominent ghatwali in Kharagpur Raj. The Kharagdiha gadis were earlier on ghatwali tenure, but when Captain Cammec found these Malik of the gadis prominent in their country, these gadis were permanently settled slowly after 1793. The ghatwals of Kharagdiha became the Zamindars and Rulers of their respective estates. Some of the prominent Khargdiha gadis were Gadi Palganj, Koderma, Goranjee, Gadi Ledo and Gadi Sirsia.
