Visit a neighbouring village. Find out how many people live there, which crops are grown, which animals are raised, which artisanal groups reside
there, whether women own land, how the local panchayat functions. Compare this information with what you have learnt about the sixteenth-
seventeenth centuries, noting similarities and differences. Explain both the changes and the continuities that you find.
Self-study.
Hints : There is a village panchayat in our village. Nearly four thousand people living in about 250 houses.
Crops : Wheat, gram, peas, barley, mustard, sugarcane, rice, pulses are grown in my village.
Animals : Cow, ox, buffalo, goats, sheep, pig, horses, camels are kept by different people.
Artisanal groups : Potters, Carpenters, Blacksmith, Goldsmith, Weavers, Basketmakers, Metal workers, Architects, Painters, Dyers, Mechanic, Electrician are living.
Women landowners : Nearly two hundred women are having their land, some of them are widows, unmarried, divorcee or having transformation of landownership after the death of their parents.
Local panchayat functions : Cleanliness and disposal of dirt and wastage, lighting of roads and streets, supply of clean drinking water, primary school, primary health care centre, small hospital for animals, construction work, small parks, streets, lane, small roads, maintenance of village wells, ponds, tanks etc.
Holding animals fairs and conducting Ramlila and Krishnalila during certain months. Maintaining register of records of births and deaths, making provision for pulse-polio and other tikkakaran, library is maintain and minor criminal and civil disputes are also settled by the help of the villagers.
Similarity and differences : Some functions are done by modem village panchayat like the panchayat of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Their is a headman and some other members of the panchayat. Modem panchayat keeps land records like the panchayat of medieval India.
Differences : In modern panchayat adult citizens of village elect their representatives. These elected for five years. Some seats are reserved for S.C./S.T., OBC and 33 per cent seat reserve for women candidates. Such reservation was not in village panchayat of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
