Glossary

• adhikari

  official, superintendancy, holding an office

• Agarwala

  a merchant subcaste

• ʿamali

  the revenue year, i.e. the fasli calendar

  likely derived from ʿamil or revenue official

• ʿamil

  revenue official

• amin

  revenue official

• amir

  noble

• ʿarz

  written representation, petition

• ʿarzdasht

  petition

  used for any formal address from an inferior to a superior

• babti

  any additional item of revenue

• badi

  dark half of the lunar month

  when the moon is waning

• badshah

  emperor

  alternately, padshah

• bahadur

  brave, valiant, courageous; an honorific

• bahi

  a register or book

• banjara

  itinerant grain and cattle merchant

• berat

  a government order; in the Ottoman Empire, it referred to an order of grant or appointment from the Sultan, but in the Deccan, it often referred to an order enjoining the payment of a sum of money

• bhai

  a term of respect

  literally, brother

• Bhandari

  a Jain subcaste

  members of this community were prominent officials in the Rajput kingdom of Marwar

• bigha

  a measure of land, corresponding to between 1600 and 3200 acres depending upon the region

• biswa

  one-twentieth of a bigha; used to indicate a share or portion in the rights to a village

• chakla

  territorial division comprising several parganas (districts)

• chaudhr-giri

  the holding of the post of chaudhri or landlord

• chaudhrai

  office of chaudhri or landlord

• chaudhri

  landlord

  similar to desai, deshmukh

• chavar

  a measure of land equal to 120 square bighas

• daftar

  register

  particularly in the compound "daftar-khana," also refers to a record-keeping office and repository

• dam

  copper coin

• darogha

  superintendent

• dastak

  order

• dastur

  custom

  also, a customary fee

• dastur al-ʿamal

  record of revenue assessment

• desai

  landlord

  Similar to deshmukh

• deshmukh

  landlord

  similar to chaudhri, desai

• deshmukhi

  the office of deshmukh or landlord

• deshpande

  record keeper

  similar to qanungo

• deshpande-giri

  the holding of the office of deshpande or record keeper

• Dhangar

  a herder, a herder caste

• dirʿa

  a unit of measurement

• diwan

  Head of imperial or provincial revenue department, or manager of finances in a noble's household

• diwan-i tan

  Head of a revenue department, specifically responsible for revenue assignments, in contradistinction to the diwan-i khalsa responsible for crown lands

  In practice, a single person could hold both the diwan-i tan and diwan-i khalsa posts. See Zahiruddin Malik, The Reign of Muhammad Shah (1719-1748), pg.293.

• diwani

  revenue department

• falaj

  a type of irrigation canal

• farigh khatti

  no-claims deed

• farman

  imperial order

• farzand

  son/child/successor

• Fasli

  Mughal solar calendar, established by Emperor Akbar

• faujdar

  police-cum-military officer

• ghalledar

  storekeeper of grain

  also spelled ghalladar

• ghazi

  religious warrior; an honorific

• girasiya

  outlaw warrior

  a marginal military group, possibly of mixed Rajput and Bhil ancestry

• Gopal

  a Hindu deity

• Govinddevji

  a Hindu deity

• gumashta

  agent

• hakim

  governor, official

• hasal

  a type of tax

• haveli

  mansion

• hon

  a type of widely circulating gold coin minted by the Vijayanagara kingdom

  see Phillip B. Wagoner, "Money Use in the Deccan, c. 1350-1687: The Role of Vijayanagara hons in the Bahmani Currency System"

• hundi

  a bill of exchange used to transfer money

• huzur

  (lit.) the presence; Lord

• ijara

  tenancy

• ijaradar

  a leaseholder of revenue rights or land

• inʿam

  reward, grant of tax-free land

• inʿamdar

  the holder of a grant of tax-free land

• inʿami

  referring to tax-exempt village lands or revenues

  derived from inʿam

• iqrar

  legal declaration

• istamalat

  provisional settlement of annual revenue demand

  For more information on this revenue-specific usage of the term, which also means "encouragement" or "conciliation," see Richard Jenkins, Report on the Territories of the Rajah of Nagpore, pg. 159

• jagir

  rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for imperial services and associated expenses

• jagirdar

  holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses

  usually also a mansabdar

• jamadar

  commander of a body of troops

• jamedari

  office of a jamadar

  may also correspond to dues paid to soldiers hired to protect crops from invading armies

• jiu

  an honorific added to a name or title to show respect

• Julahi

  a weaver, the weaver caste

• kacheri

  district-level revenue office and magistracy

  An office in Rajput states and other north Indian kingdoms but not the Mughals. Also called kachahri and, in British colonial usage, kutcherry

• kamavisdar

  head revenue collector at the district level

  Predominantly refers to said collectors in the eighteenth-century Maratha empire. See Gordon, "The Slow Conquest."

• karori

  Revenue head of the Mughal Imperial household domains

  possibly also a noble's diwan, see N.A. Siddiqi, Land Revenue Administration under the Mughals

• kasht-kamati

  cultivation by hired labour or servants

• katba

  legally binding declaration

• khalifa

  a deputy, Caliph

  used as a respectful title

• khalisa

  in Mughal parlance, crown land that was directly managed by the central government

  also khalsa in Rajasthani and Hindi usage

• khanazad

  (lit.) born in the (imperial) household; a high-ranking noble

• khandani

  tribute

• khandi

  a measure of weight

  typically equal to either twenty or eight maunds

• kharif

  autumn

• kharita

  a high-status letter

  Also can refer to the pouch or silk bag used to hold such letters. Alternate Rajasthani spelling: khalita.

• khasgi

  officer of the royal household

• khatib

  Muslim preacher

• Krishna

  a Hindu deity

• kulkarni

  village record-keeper

• kunwar

  an unmarried boy or prince

• mahajan

  wealthy merchant, moneylender

• mahal

  a revenue district or set of villages

• mahanad

  judicial assembly

  similar to gota, majalis

• mahar

  a village watchman, messenger or guide

• Maharawat

  an honorific for a Rajput chief or noble

• mahzar

  testimony, record, people present

• mahzar nama

  an affidavit

  also sometimes called a mahzar-patra

• mal

  land revenue

• mamlatdar

  district-level revenue collector

• man

  a measure of weight

  The size of the measure varied by region and period; in the documents here it was likely equal to 25–35 pounds. Also called a maund.

• mandloi

  landlord

  similar to chaudhri, desai, deshmukh

• mansab

  Mughal imperial office and rank

• mansabdar

  holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble

  usually also a jagirdar

• Maria Theresa dollar (MTD)

  A silver coin widely used in Africa and the Middle East until the middle of the twentieth century.

  Also called Maria Theresa thaler (MTT), this coin was first minted in Austria in the 1740s.

• masur

  a type of legume

• matha

  monastic order

• mauzaʿ

  village

  Mughal fiscal-administrative division

• mirza

  title for a prince; gentleman

  occasionally, a scholar, writer

• mokasadar

  revenue assignee

  similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire

• muaʿmala

  district, especially in Bijapur administrative nomenclature

• muchalka

  a bond or agreement, esp. to perform some action for the government

• mufti

  a magistrate

  typically a scholar of Islamic law who provides legal opinions

• muhalla

  a neighbourhood

• mung

  a type of legume

• muqaddam

  village headman

• muqaddami

  office of muqaddam (village headman)

• murid

  disciple

  a term derived from Sufi or Muslim mystic tradition

• mushrif

  inspector

• mutasaddi

  local revenue official

  As a state post, often in charge of trade and the collection of customs in a city or port. Can also refer to a clerk or accountant.

• muwazana dahsala

  tax records for a decade

• naib

  deputy

• nankar

  tax-free land held by the chaudhri

• nawab

  title of a high-ranking noble or governor

• nishan

  princely order

• pahar

  a unit of approximately three hours

  a day and a night consisted of four pahars each

• paimayish

  measurement

• panchayat

  judicial assembly

  Today, it refers more generally to a local governing body.

• pandit

  a scholar or learned person, usually a man of Brahman caste

• Panduranga

  a Hindu deity, also called Vithobha

• pargana

  district

• parvana

  order

• patil

  village headman

• patra

  letter or document

• patta

  deed of land rights

  This can be a deed of lease or a deed of gift. It is also sometimes used for deeds for official posts.

• pattayat

  landlord or one who holds a patta

  Most widely used in Rajasthan, especially Mewar, where pattayats were similar to jagirdars.

• patwari

  village accountant

  similar to a kulkarni

• peth

  market

• pir

  an elder; often refers to the head of a Sufi religious order

• pirzada

  a descendant of a Muslim holy man, often an officiant or attendant at a Sufi shrine

• pishgi-giri

  taking money paid in advance, rent

• pishkash

  tribute

• pradhan

  minister

  "Mukhya pradhan" along with "pant pradhan" and "peshwa" were titles routinely assumed by the chief minister of the Maratha empire.

• prant

  province

• qabala

  a deed of sale

• qabuliyat

  written agreement, contract

• qabz al-wasul

  receipt of deposit

• qanungo

  record-keeper

  similar to deshpande

• qanungoi

  the office of record-keeper

• qarar

  an agreement or contract

• qasba

  town, small city

• qaul

  tax contract or deed of assurance

  alternately known as qaul-nama, qaul-qarar

• qaum

  people, tribe, kin-group

• qazi

  Islamic judge

• qirsh (pl. qurush)

  a silver coin, equivalent to a Maria Theresa Dollar

• rabi

  spring

• raj

  king, ruler, realm or kingdom, government, rule

• rajashri

  an honorific of royal dignity routinely applied in Marathi documents to any person deserving of courtesy and respect

  occasionally used in Rajasthani documents

• Rajput

  a Hindu warrior caste

• Ram

  a Hindu deity

• Rawat

  an honorific title for a Rajput noble, chief or prince

• ruka

  small unit of currency

  measure of currency corresponding to twelfth part of an anna; measure of land corresponding to five or more bighas

• sahib

  lord or master

  also a generic honourific conveying the respect and authority due to the addressee; sometimes spelled saheb

• sahukar

  moneylender

• sal

  a species of tree

  corresponds to the scientific name shorea robusta; source of timber

• salami

  fee

• sanad

  generically, a document

• sarih

  manumitted slave

  Formerly enslaved persons in Zanzibar used this term together with the name of their former master in legal deeds.

• sarkar

  territorial division, larger than district; generic term for a sovereign or government

  Mughal term

• sarup

  the earring worn by the nath yogis

  sometimes used as an invocative or honorific word

• sethi

  merchant, banker

• sethi-giri

  holding the office of sethiya

• sethiya

  head of a body of merchants and superintendent of a marketplace

• shahna

  representative or servant of the tax collector

• shariʿa

  Islamic law

• sheesham

  a type of tree, North Indian rosewood

  species D. Sissoo, a cultivated tree used for furniture-making and fuel

• sheikh

  Muslim religious leader, saint

• sher

  a measure of weight

  also refers to deductions made by revenue officials from grain paid as tax-in-kind to government

• shiqdar

  revenue officer

• Shri Huzur

  honoured lord

  used to refer to a ruler and to his court or establishment

• shrimant

  lord, the illustrious

• Shrinathji

  a form of the Hindu deity Krishna

  Shrinathji is closely associated with the ruling family of Mewar.

• Shuhur

  Southern Indian solar calendar

• sih-bandi

  revenue allocation for maintaining soldiers

• siyaha huzur

  a register of daily proceedings of a royal court

• siyaq

  a Perso-Arabic accounting shorthand that uses cryptic symbols to represent numbers

• suba

  province

  Mughal term

• subadar

  provincial governor

• sudi

  light half of the lunar month

  when the moon is waxing

• takrir

  statement or narrative of a case

• tali

  a fee paid to the village accountant (patwari) from the tax due

  For full definition, see Wilson's Revenue and Judicial Glossary. Wilson indicates that this definition is speculative.

• tamassuk

  bond or record of debt

• taujih

  revenue assessment

• thakur

  an honorific title, often referring to a Rajput landlord or chief

  also used to honour Hindu deities in Rajasthan

• thakurani

  an honorific, female equivalent of thakur

• toor

  a type of lentil

• tughra

  calligraphic signature, ultimately deriving from the practice of the eastern Turkish tribes of Central Asia

  For more information, and an example from a Safavid decree, see Bhalloo and Rezai, "Inscribing Authority," pp. 837-840

• tumar

  rent rolls

• ʿurf

  custom

  Islamic legal term

• waraqa

  document, especially financial deeds and contracts

• watan

  homeland, held as special non-transferable revenue assignment

  Mughal fiscal-administrative term

• watandar

  landlord holding a special non-transferable revenue assignment

• Wazir

  chief imperial noble, adviser to the emperor

• yadi

  memorandum

• zamin

  guarantor

• zaminan

  guarantors

• zamindar

  landlord

• zamindari

  the post of landlord

• zimn

  verso of the document

  This is where the details of a grant were often entered.