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Colonialism And The Countryside
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
The zamindars adopted various means and measures to establish their control over their zamindaris. These are as under:
(i) They adopted the strategy of fictitious sale of land. When a part of their estate was auctioned, their men bought the property by giving higher bids than others. Later on they refused to pay up the purchase money. So there was again auction. The same process of purchase was repeated. At last the state felt exhausted. It sold the estate at a low price again to the zamindar.
(ii) They created hurdles in the possession of the land if anyone from outside the zamindari bought an estate at an auction.
(iii) They transferred some of the estates in the name of women as the property of women could not be taken over.
(iv) The Lathyals of the former zamindars sometimes attacked the new buyers.
(v) Sometimes the ryots also resisted the entry of purchasers from outside.
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How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
On an outline map of the subcontinent, mark out the areas described in this chapter. Find out whether there were other areas where the Permanent Settlement and the Ryotwari system were prevalent and plot these on the map as well.
Mention the revenue system introduced by the British in Bombay Deccan with one of its main characteristics.
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