Land Management in Garhwal under Trail

Administration of G. W. Trail in Garhwal and Kumaon -6

History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -7

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -845

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

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       Trail started paying attention on land management after setting the administration in the capital Shrinagar. The main source of revenue was land tax. The village sayana, kamin (chieftains) already applied for Bhamans (chieftains). There was shortage of sayana or kamin in villages as many villages were deserted. There was no competition among people  for tax collectors from villages. Trail handed over the responsibility to Kamin or sayana for collecting land tax from their respective village or villages. Trail provided a ‘Kaul Karar Patta (agreement letter) to Kamin /Sayana for signing the Kaul Karar Patta. One copy of the Kaul Karar Patta of each sayana/kamin was kept in the treasury in Shrinagar. (Reference- Patta of Thoba, Himmatu malgujar , Gujadu pargana, Dabral, page 129) . The agreement paper was as was in Gurkha rule. The tax was to be deposited in four installments in  the months- Kartik , Paush, Falgun and Baishakh.  The land tax was not included for Excise duty on hemp, ganja, charas, donated temple land, Gardnes, Vishnu Priti, Brahmhotra lands. The tax collectors had to pay /collect tax in the form of Farukhavadi rupees. British stopped taking tax in the form of grains.  The tax was kept same as of Gurkha rule. Malgujar (tax collector) were already appointed before Trail’s arrival.  Trail instructed to collect tax with sophistication.

(Chapter Reference - English Pre Mutiny Records, Kumaon 1816, part-1, Vol. – 7 , Hamilton, Atkinson, Pemble, Kaul-Karar )

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 8/7/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -846

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri , Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan,  part -1, page

2-Maularam, Badariashtak

3-Devar, English Pre Mutiny Records

4- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts vol. 3 ,

 5- English Pre Mutiny Records, Kumaon 1816, part-1, Vol. – 7

6- Johan Pemble , Invasion of Nepal

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History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;