Maratha Administration

Maharaj Shivaji is one of the renowned national heroes of India. He has created an independent and sovereign state in Maharashtra which relies on Justice, the welfare of the people, and tolerance to all beliefs. Maharaj Shivaji is renowned as the “Father of the Maratha Nation''. He was not only a great conqueror and a diplomat but also a great administrator. Maratha Administration under Shivaji was better than other administrations in Mughal areas. The Maratha Administration under Shivaji falls under three heads namely Revenue Administration, Provincial Administration, and Central Administration. The Maratha administration under Shivaji was greatly inspired by the Deccan style of administration. Read the article below to know the three heads of the Maratha Administration, and the land revenue system of Marathas.

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What Are the Three Heads of the Maratha Administration?

The three heads of the Maharashtra Administration are Revenue Administration, Provincial Administration, and Central Administration. Let us discuss each in brief.

Central Administration

Shivaji had a council of eight ministers (Asht Pradhari) to advise him on the issues of state but not bound by it. He could appoint or dismiss ministers. This appointment depends on their efficiency. The eight ministers under Central Administration were:

1. The “Peshwas” were the first ministers among them. The term “ Peshwas” stands for the leader or senior minister. His duty was to look after the general affairs and welfare of the state. He was responsible to take charge of the king in his absence.

2. The finance minister or Amatya checked and certified all the ministers of the state.

3. The Mantris or Waqia-Nawis were responsible to maintain the documentation of kings' activities and proceedings in the court.

4. The Foreign Secretary (Dabir or Suman) was responsible for advising the king on all issues of war and peace and receiving ambassadors and delegates from other countries.

5. The home secretary ( Sachiv or Shuru Nawis ) ensured to look after the similarities of the king with the power to revise the drafts. He also used to verify the  accounts of the Parganas.

6. The Punditaro or Danadhyaksha or Sardar looked after the religious, ceremonies, and charitable affairs of the state. He worked for the moral spirits of the people.

7. The chief justice or Nyayadhish was in charge of military and civil justice.

8. The commander in chief (Sauri Naubat) was in charge of the organization, recruitment, and discipline of the army.

Provincial Administration

The kingdom of Shivaji was split into four provinces. Each province retains the head known as Mamlatdar or Viceroy. Each province was split into several villages or districts. To help the provincial governor, there was a council of ministers based on the central model. The provinces are split into several regions known as prant.  Each Prant was subdivided into Parganas and Taraf. The lowest unit of administration was a village. The village was managed by the leader known as Patel. The Patel continues to follow his duties with the gram panchayat, whose members were appointed by the villagers.

The officers of villagers were known as Deshmukh or Deshpandes who oversaw the village functioning. Shivaji eliminated the system of granting Jagris and initiated the system of paying officers in cash.  When the revenue collection of any region was assigned to an official, his main concern was to deliver it to the state by every soldier. The Maratha army was terrifying and most suitable for guerilla war.

Revenue Administration

1. Shivaji eliminated the Jagirdari system and restored it with Ryotwari System, the changes in the position of hereditary revenue officials were popularly known as Deshmukhs, Deshpande, Patils, and Kulkarni's.

2. Shivaji strictly managed the Mirasdars who retained inherent rights in land. 

3. The revenue system was embellished with the Kathi system of Malik Amber in which every piece of land was measured by Rod or Kathi.

4. The other sources of income were Chauth or Sardeshmukhi. (Chauth or Sardeshmukhi were taxes collected in the neighboring territories of Sultans or Mughals. Chauth was one-fourth of land to be paid to the Marathas to avoid raids. Sardeshmukhi was an additional fee of 10% on land Marathas claimed as an inherent right.)

Land Revenue System Under Marathas Administration

Shivaji was the first to play a crucial role in the measurement of land. He observed the incorrectness of rope. Later, Shivaji substituted it with a  Kathi ( a measuring rod). Two Kathis comprise a Bigha and 120 Bighas a chvhr. But local changes in the Bigha size existed. In 1678, Shivaji thus handed over the task to Annaji Datto for systematic assessment in the land. Shivaji took the help of pargana and village officials for this research work. He did not completely depend on those officials. To prevent and verify their assessment, he himself made a spot check of one hilly, one marshy, and one black soil area within a tapa. In most of the cases, he made 25% - 100% enhancement over the judgment of local officials. Also, the villages were consulted regarding the judgment of their holdings. 

The land was broadly classified into two categories namely bagbayat (garden land) and ziyarat (cultivated land) by Malik Ambar. The latter was split into four categories. This number increased to twelve during Shivaji time. During the assessment, the wasteland was generally excluded. But, more and more cultivable wasteland was brought under cultivation when the pressure on land was increased. Malik Ambar followed the procedure of progressive assessment for the judgment of these newly restored lands.

In the NizamShahi authority, no revenue was reclaimed for the first two years when such land was claimed back. But from the third year, the state started claiming a small share in their production.  Under the Marathas, these lands were sometimes assessed by the number of ploughs (hal) and not by the bigha. Sometimes, even 6-7 bighas were considered as one bigha for revenue purposes.

Revenue assessment also changed based on the fertility of the soil. It was also evaluated at different rates based on the nature of the crops sown, e.g., sugarcane, pulses, cotton, etc. Even when the second crop was sown (other than the primary one), it was evaluated at a lower rate. According to the soil fertility and the estimated produce, the demand was fixed once for all. Judgment was made on individual peasants individually, but for the realization purpose, the entire village was treated as a single unit. AdilShahi rulers of Bijapur also seem to have followed a similar procedure of assessment as those of Malik Ambar.