Well my involvement is only from the fringes. The main battle is being fought and brunt borne by my father and of course some of my friends are supporting him.
Sons like me make parents lament for daughters. I leave my parents alone always to fend for themselves. I was not there when my mother's arm was being operated upon or when my aunt, more than a mother to me was operated upon. Although, they do well themselves. They are resourceful and well connected and I can at best be only a moral support. But that too is difficult to come by from me.
So if my father’s fight to protect our ancestral land from encroachments was again something that I let him handle on his own, it is no surprise. I am too engrossed in my work. What else can I say. I will not admit - I am not concerned.
But there was some queer learning in all this turmoil that I am a witness to from the periphery. The land records being used and followed are pretty much of Akbar’s time. Yes I am talking of the medieval Mughal ruler, who many historians treat eponymous with medieval greatness, though my view is a little different on this subject. I would reserve comments on this issue for another time.
The old records are still in Urdu and Persian and have not been transcripted. The method used to maintain is that which was started by Todar Mal Srivastava the Raja of Sitapur - even today a district near Lucknow in UP - one of the Nav Ratnas. That, the accuracy or integrity of the method is not questionable is true, yet, the integrity or venality of revenue officers clearly questionable.
The biswa and Bigha system has its complications though. Todar Mal was a very intelligent man. Usually the people of his community are literate and educated. The kayasthas as they are called claim descent from Chitragupta. Though some sociologist believe they are sat-shudras. Some believe they were Brahmins who showed allegiance to the muslim rulers and were therefore relegated to the position of Kayasthas, and not allowed to be a part of the hallowed caste Brahmins.
Akbar had asked Todar Mal to device a system incomprehensible to common man. So Todar Mal, to avoid a blot on his escutcheon, devised a complex system. He informed Akbar that he had set the metrics at 99 so that making a quarter will be complex for most people. If it were 100, dividing by 4 would be simple.
The Todar Mal’s system was followed by the British and it was only post 80’s that the government decided to eschew the remnants of this medievalism and change to the metric system. The outcome is to be seen.
So if my father’s fight to protect our ancestral land from encroachments was again something that I let him handle on his own, it is no surprise. I am too engrossed in my work. What else can I say. I will not admit - I am not concerned.
But there was some queer learning in all this turmoil that I am a witness to from the periphery. The land records being used and followed are pretty much of Akbar’s time. Yes I am talking of the medieval Mughal ruler, who many historians treat eponymous with medieval greatness, though my view is a little different on this subject. I would reserve comments on this issue for another time.
The old records are still in Urdu and Persian and have not been transcripted. The method used to maintain is that which was started by Todar Mal Srivastava the Raja of Sitapur - even today a district near Lucknow in UP - one of the Nav Ratnas. That, the accuracy or integrity of the method is not questionable is true, yet, the integrity or venality of revenue officers clearly questionable.
The biswa and Bigha system has its complications though. Todar Mal was a very intelligent man. Usually the people of his community are literate and educated. The kayasthas as they are called claim descent from Chitragupta. Though some sociologist believe they are sat-shudras. Some believe they were Brahmins who showed allegiance to the muslim rulers and were therefore relegated to the position of Kayasthas, and not allowed to be a part of the hallowed caste Brahmins.
Akbar had asked Todar Mal to device a system incomprehensible to common man. So Todar Mal, to avoid a blot on his escutcheon, devised a complex system. He informed Akbar that he had set the metrics at 99 so that making a quarter will be complex for most people. If it were 100, dividing by 4 would be simple.
The Todar Mal’s system was followed by the British and it was only post 80’s that the government decided to eschew the remnants of this medievalism and change to the metric system. The outcome is to be seen.
