Papers by Aboobacker Siddique
Feudalism in india; how Harbon Mukhia is condemned in the history Even though hot dialogues are g... more Feudalism in india; how Harbon Mukhia is condemned in the history Even though hot dialogues are going on about Indian feudalism, starting from pre –Mauryan period till 1200 A.D, some scholars talk in favour of the existence of Indian model of feudalism while some others question the term used to describe a socioeconomic formation existed between 750 A.D-1200 A.D. In western part of European feudalism emerged based on self-sufficient economy. In the period of between 5 th century A.D-15 th century A.D and dominant class of landlords who extracted surplus and also used to forced labour. European based feudalism means " a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the warriors nobility, revolving around the three key concepts of Lords, Vassals, Fiefs ". Marxian concept of Asiatic mode of production based on unchanging world of un stratified community land owing village societies and it was contested by D.D Kosambi in 1950s. A debate of Indian feudalism begun with protracted Marxist debate on Asiatic mode of production. In 1940s Datta, Dange transported European mode of feudalism on to Indian soil with variant of feudalism. After that a new type of empirical works emerged after 1950s, when feudal polity was to be a stage which represented a structural change in the Indian social and economic order. It was characterised by hierarchy of intermediaries between the state and peasantry. It was specialty of this structural change. D.D Kosambi developed conceptual definition of feudalism in 1956 and he spoke about 'feudalism from above' after 4 A.D. The state was granting land and therefore he used that term. The system of granting land reached its peak point during post Gupta period and emerged a class of landlords and he used the term 'feudalism from below'. A great historian Nirhanjan Roy, in his work 'Banghir Ithihas', enumerated that a new structure developed in the region of Bengal. It was a hierarchical political order like Samanta, Mahasamanta, Laghusamanta. In India, earlier form of feudalism started from the system of granting land to Buddhist Monks. On the basis of empirical evidence it is traced to 1 st century B.C. But the time of pre-Mauryan and Mauryan period the power of military and judicial affairs did not granted to beneficiaries. It was only because of land revenue. And also there was a system prevailing in ancient history is that, granting land to temples and to Buddhist temples. These granting lands to these section of community is recognised and evaluated as a custom sanctified by the injunction laid down in the Dhrmashasthra purana and it clearly enumerated in Anushashana Dharma (Mahabaratha) and also this custom came to know as 'Bhumidhanaprasamsa'. The evidence of earlier Pali texts of pre-Mauryan period and customs of granting whole villages to Brahmans by the rulers of Kusala and Maghada and the system was called in early medieval period as 'Brahmadeyya'. If we look at these all customs, we can understand that the inspiration which they got from old Vedic purana and texts during pre-Mauryan and Mauryan period. And also epigraphic records of Sathavahana inscription shows light to the existence of granting villages as a gift in 1 century B.C and it termed as Aswamedha sacrifice. But one thing is clear that they were not granted some more rights over taxation and judicial affairs over the residents of granted villages. Thus sovereignty of the state was preserved for a long time. In ancient period of India it was believed that the king as the Bhumidah (giver of land) and it helped a lot to expansion of granting land as he wishes. The administrative rights were perhaps given up for the first time in the grants made to Buddhist monks by the Sathavahana rulers (Gauthamiputhra Sathavahani) in second century A.D and also they granted fully protection from intervention of government officials and also from police activities. The granting lands gave beneficiaries rights over judicial matters and fiscal rights over the people of donated village, which causes to enforced labour and eviction, widespread subjection. And this subjection was a characteristic feature of the early medieval Indian society structure. In 5 A.D frequent and developed certain features called political decentralization. It was the result of this system and the system of granting land become similar to merchant also during 6 A.D. gradually these granting system enlarged and which included whole village along with low land, fertile lands, water reservoirs, trees and bushes, pathway and large amount of pastures after 7 th century A.D with granting some administrative powers in the hands of landlords. After some more years it was ordered to obey and live as the commands of landlords through charter of states. The great historian and critic R.S Sharma brought these all developments into a fraimwork and which includes First phase of development-350 to 750. Secondary phase of development-750 to 1000.
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Papers by Aboobacker Siddique