Explain the role of Panchayats in the Mughal rural Indian society during l6th - 17th centuries.

OR

 Explain how Akbar maintained harmonious relations with different ethnic and religious communities.

Panchayats in the Mughal society:

 (i) The village panchayat was an assembly of elders, usually important people of the village with hereditary rights over their property.

 (ii) In mixed-caste villages, the panchayat was usually a heterogeneous body.

 (iii) The decisions made by these panchayats were binding on the members. 

(iv) The panchayat derived its funds from contributions made by individuals to a common financial pool.

 (v) Often these funds were also deployed in construction of a bund or digging a canal which Peasants usually could not afford to do on their own.

 (vi) One important function of the panchayat was to ensure that caste boundaries among the various communities inhabiting the village were upheld.

 (vii) Panchayats also had the authority to levy fines and inflict more serious forms of punishment like expulsions from the community.

 (viii) The jati panchayats wielded considerable power in rural society and arbitrated civil disputes between members of different castes.

 (ix) Village panchayat was regarded as the court of appeal that would ensure that the state carried out its moral obligations and guaranteed justice.

 (x) The decision of the panchayat in conflicts between “lower-caste” peasants and state officials or the local zamindar could vary from case to case.

OR

Akbar maintained harmonious relations with different ethnic and religious communities:

(i) As the source of all peace and stability the emperor stood above, all religious and ethnic groups, mediated among them, and ensured that justice and peace prevailed.

 (ii) The ideal of sulh-i kul was described as the cornerstone of enlightened rule.

 (iii) In sulh-i-Kul all religions and schools of thought had freedom of expression but on condition that they did not undermine the authority of the state or flight among themselves.

 (iv) The ideal of sulh-i kul was implemented through state policies-the nobility under the Mughals was a composite one comprising Iranis, Turanis, Afghans, Rajputs, Deccanis -all of whom were given positions and awards purely on the basis of their service and loyalty to the king.

 (v) Akbar abolished the tax on pilgrimage in 1563 and Jizya in 1564 as the two were based on religious discrimination.

 (vi) All Mughal emperors gave grants to support the building and maintenance of places of worship.

 (vii) Instructions were sent to officers of the empire to follow the precept of sulh-i kul in administration.

 (viii) A number of symbols were created for visual representation of the idea of justice which came to stand for the highest virtue of Mughal monarchy.

 (ix) Akbar commissioned the construction of a white marble tomb for Shaikh Salim Chisti next to majestic Friday mosque at shikri.

 (x) On special occasions such as the anniversary of accession to the throne, Id, Shab-i barat and Holi, the court was full of life.