MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

                           Land Tax Rates in Batten Settlement           
 
                            British Administration in Garhwal   -32       
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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -49
            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -886
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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

        There were differences among tax of different villages.  In batten settlement the officials determined tax after analyzing soil fertility, losses by wild animals and birds, distance from bazaar, numbers of owners, owner’s economical conditions and other factors.  By studying ‘Fard Fant’ , it is clear that the annual tax was eight Ana on irrigated land of one beesi (Dabral, page 188, from Vishnu Singh Gorla Rawat Collections) . 
  The series in fard Fant was name of land owner, land measurement in ‘beesee’, and tax.
  In Trail time, the Malgujar used to prepare the Fard fant and did not submit in office. In Batten settlement, the records were kept in government offices. The officials and effected person could see the records.
The example of the Fard Fant of a village or villages for a Malgujar was as under (Vishnu Singh collection) –

      फर्द फांट असामीवार मौजा कोटा की पिंजोली बगैरह पट्टी गुजडू
-------------------------------तफसील --------------------------------
नाम असामी ---जमा बीसी -----के फांट रु ०
गोविंदू-------------२ III----------------१ I=
ललू----------------५ -------------------२ II
अबरसी-------------२-------------------१
सवी --------------- ४ ----------------२
मानसि ------------४ ------------------२
जात्रू---------------- १III----------------III=
पिरोजू -------------३II------------------१ III
सोबनू भूलाणी --- २ III---------------- १ I=
कल्या --------------८ I-----------------४
सोवनू खडोरी-------२ -------------------१
योग ----------------३६ -----------------१७ III=
नाम मौजा -------अवाद ---------वेरान---------हक --------नाम पधान
कोटा की पिंजोली---२९ -------------५ ---------२ ------------हिमतू सोवनू गोला
  तारीख १७ ,आह अगस्त सन १८३२ इस्वी
( विष्णु सिंह गोरला रावत संग्रह , फर्द फांट हिसेदार भवन डांडालगा पट्टी सल्ड )
  In Batten settlement, there was demarcation and records for different types of ownerships –Hissedar (owner), Sirtan and Khaikar and tax rates were recorded. Khaykar and Sirtan used to offer ‘Dastur’ to Hissedar (owner) and Hissedar used to offer ‘dastur’ to Padhan and Thokdar /malgujar. There was now system of recording ‘dastur’
A’ fard fant’ shows ‘dastur’ record as follows

 बेटी वीहाय का (daughter marriage) – २ रु ०
बक्रा मारे  का ------- रान १
घीय संक्रान्ति का वल्ग असामी  १ पिछे घी या तिल सेर देते हैं (I) के १ औणी जाणी अल्मोड़ा वगैरह कर्ते हैं फक्त (I)
 From the last line, it is clear that Padhan or Hissedar used to visit Almora h e used to take person from ‘Khaykar’ or Sirtan’ with him on series basis. The above system was alive from old age. Batten made it official.  Hak dastur became an official tax and court used to take such issues in court too. If a Sirtan or Khaykar used to pay ‘Dastur’ in time, Malgujar could not disown his land.  By the news system, the rights of land owners became secured and there was strong contact between the government and the land owners. In a way, Thokdar or Padhan became only paper tigers.
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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 30/8/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -887
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal  (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
XX   
References 
 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page188-189

 

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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;   

                        Beckett Settlement in Garhwal
 
                            British Administration in Garhwal   -34       
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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -51
            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -888
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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

       
                  Outcomes from Past land Settlements in Garhwal

              Till the Batten land settlement (1840), the economic conditions of average farmer were very bad.  British formed a new district as Garhwal. British started appointing new employees for district administration.  Barring Haridwar to Badrinath, there was no proper road in Garhwal. The Haridwar- Badrinath Road was the only market place for farmers selling their produces. Slowly, the farmer condition was improving. People started keeping guns for killing wild animals. People killed wild animals in quantity. People started cutting forest trees converting forest into agricultural land. Now, people had self confidence for farming.  People started visiting for  markets as Ramnagar, Kotdwara, Patali, Dharaun etc. for selling their products and buying products not available in Garhwal hills. The barter was the exchange system on those markets.  Now, people were zealous for farming. By 1860, the people of south Garhwal were more prosperous and happy than the past (Beckett, and Dabral)

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 1/9/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -889
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
XX   
References 
 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page-190
2-Beckett, Garhwal Settlement report page 5


 

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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;   

                 Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement
                     
                Characteristics of Beckett Settlement in Garhwal -2
 
                            British Administration in Garhwal   -36       
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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -53
            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -890
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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

         Officials measured the land by 20 yards rope in Beckett settlement. Garhwalis call it ‘Dori Paimayash’. ‘Dori Paimayash’ was not the creation of Beckett. The court used to use ‘Dori’ for measurement for taking decision. In 1952, Henry Ramsay also used ‘Dori’ for measuring land in Sadvrat villages of Kotauli and Maharyudi of Kumaon. The length of ‘Dori’ or rope used to be 20 yards. There were remarkable marks for one tenth, one fourth and half on ‘Dori’ or rope.

      The director of Land Record Colonel Picher described, (2), “There were two Amins and two men for pulling Dori (rope or chain) for measuring the land.  This group used to measure the length (highest point) of farm and then they used to measure farm width at two three places. The rope pullers used to shout informing the measurement to Amins. One Amin used to write immediately the area (by calculation) of that farm on Khasra (record).  Second Amin used to see walls (Pagar, Mund) , calculate measurement as per geometrical system, sketch the map by scale and put serial number of farm at that time only. After finishing one contour farm they used to precede another farm.
Amins used to measure each farm even smallest and record for land settlement.  Therefore there was record of each farm in ‘Sijara’ or ‘Khasra’.  There were also farms only 10 yard length and there were more than 3000 farms, mostly, in a village.

                    Pro Forma of Settlement
 
    In Beckett settlement, the followings records were there (Pauri Garhwal Report) –
1-Khasra- The records of farms with serial numbers and ownership was recorded in Khasra.
2-Muntakhip- Records of farms and owners descriptions
3-Tehrij- in Tehrif, there was separate description of each farm of a farmer /owner
4-Fant- The records of farms of owner, the land description of Khaikar or Sirtan and tax payable
  There was less corrections on those records. Dabral sates that mostly, there were least conflicts. The correction was made by red ink. Each owner’s land was recorded with ownership details (Records of Rights). The owner could see and get copy of the records (Parchi) by paying fees and could put his case before authorities. If there was correction needed, by analyzing ‘Parchi’ and record, the authority used to correct the records (Dabral).


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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 3/9/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -891
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
XX   
References 
 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page-192-193
2-Pauri Garhwal Settlement report page 58
3- Atkinson, Himalayan districts vol.3, 298
 
History of British Rule, Administration Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement , Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Administration Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Administration, Policies Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Beckett Dori Paimayash or Rope Measurement, Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; Colonel Picher,
History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Colonel Picher ,Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Colonel Picher , Uttarakhand;   

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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;   

                 

                          Sadavrat, Gunth and Muafi   Land Measurement   
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                Characteristics of Beckett Settlement in Garhwal -4
 
                            British Administration in Garhwal   -38       
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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -55
            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -892
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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)
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            Officials or Batten recorded the land for temples as Gunth, Muafi and Sadavrat. Before, batten settlement there was no proper records for such land.
 The British government handed over the temple management to local committee from temple priests that the income would be used for pilgrim’s comforts and health. In 1852, Strachi completed the Sadavrat, Gunth and Muafi land settlement.  Beckett reassed and restarted measurement in few villages those were offered for temple Sadavrat, Gunth and Muafi land.   Beckett informed to temple priests that by exact measurement of such land, the temple employees would not be able to ditch the temples. Beckett also informed the Muafidar (free land owners) for the benefits of exact land measurement. Therefore, temple priests and Muafidar were ready for measurement on their won expenses. Beckett reached each Patti for settlement but did not reach each village as Batten could reach. Beckett reached to highest point of a Patti or region and from there Beckett surveyed the land aerially. Records of Pauri Garhwal settlement (page 53) shows that Beckett reached at a hill top near Pindwalani for surveying Dudhatoli region. Beckett did not write his comments for each village.
  Dabral states (from Pauri Garhwal settlement) that it was injustice for temples. In Beckett settlement, parts of land was offered to land cultivators as land owners thus reducing land for temples.  Dabral provided an example of Kimotha village of Bichhal Nagpur region upper Garhwal (Stowel, page127).  There were two owners for Kimotha village land. Thokdar was woner for half of the village and Kedarnath temple was having Gunth right on other half. Khaykar were cultivating land owned by Kedarnath temple and they were offering tax to the temple. The officers or Beckett promted  Khaykars of Kedarnath Gunth land as owners and did not touch the land of Thokdar.

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 6/9/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -893
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
XX   
References 
 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page-194-195
2-Beckett Garhwal Settlement report page 5,6,8
3- Atkinson, Himalayan districts vol.3, 303
4-Pauri Garhwal Settlement report page 58
5-Stowel, Manuals of land tenors in Kumaon Hill tracts page 127
 
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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;   

                 

                      Sadavrata Tax Uses for Public Beneficial Works               
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                Characteristics of Beckett Settlement in Garhwal -6
 
                            British Administration in Garhwal   -40       
       -
History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -57
            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -894
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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)
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        In 1816, Traill suggested that the income from Sadavrata villages (temple villages) should be used for public works as improving roads for pilgrimages. However, government did not accept Traill suggestions keeping in mind the people sentiments.
  Badrinath Temple Rawal died in 1817 and Badrinath temple committee of Kerala appointed Narayan Bhatt as Rawal or the chief priest of the temple by. There were misappropriation of temple properties by employees and there were incompetent temple workers under Narayan Bhatt temple administration. Traill took the temple administration and Sadvrata village administration under him. Traill appointed competent workers for Sadavrata village administration. There was saving from the income from Sadavrata villages. Traill used the saving for constructing roads and repairing old roads for pilgrimages.
         In 1827-1828, Traill constructed, repaired Haridwar- Badrinath road through villagers without paying them their wages (Begar System). Traill himself surveyed and planned the road works and many times, he was caught in danger for the work. It took seven years for completing the road construction and repair works.
   By 183, he completed the road construction and repairs from Rudraprayag to Kedarnath, Ukhimath to Chamoli, and from Karnaprayag to Chandpur –Lobha to Ruhelkhand. Later on,
 Traill used saved money on widening the road. 
  The successors of Trail used savings from Sadavrata income for constructing and repairing Joshimath –Neeti, Almora –Lobha and Shrinagar to Nazibabad roads.
  In 1851, British government handed over Sadavrata village management to local agencies.  Government accepted the Strauchi report and fixed the budget for food for pilgrimages, pilgrim roads repair and construction, health care etc from the Sadavrata income.
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 In Beckett settlement, the determined tax for Sadavrata villages was as under (Atkinson 308)-

 Tax Barasyun Sadavrata villages - Rs. 420
 Devalgarh--------------------------------Rs.189
Bamsu, Pakandi, Maikhanda-----------Rs.1449
 Dashauli Pargna-------------------------Rs. 2115
Katauli, Saharydi(Kumaon) -----------Rs. 5880
Total --------------------------------Rs. 10013
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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 8/9/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -895
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
XX   
References 
 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page-196-197
2-Beckett Garhwal Settlement report page 8
3- Atkinson, Himalayan districts vol.3, 308, and 309
 
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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;