question_answer

Explain the role of Panchayats in the Mughal rural Indian society during 16th-17th centuries.

Or

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

Answer:

The role of Panchayats in the Mughal rural Indian society during 16th-17th centuries:

(i) Structure: The village panchayats were an assembly of elders, usually important people of the village with hereditary rights over their property. However, in mixed-caste villages the panchayats were usually a heterogenous body. The panchayats were headed by a headman, known as muquaddam or Mandal. Headmen used to hold their respective offices as long as they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders, failing which they could be dismissed by them. The chief function of die headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts, assisted by the accountant or patwari of the panchayat.

(ii) Collection of funds: The panchayat derived its funds form contributions made by individuals to a common financial pool. These funds were used for meeting the costs of entertaining revenue officials who visited the village from time to time. Expenses for community welfare activities such as tiding over natural calamities were also met from these funds. The funds were also deployed in construction of a bund or digging a canal which peasants usually could not afford to do on their own.

(iii) Regarding caste boundaries: One of the important functions of the panchayat was to ensure that caste boundaries among the various communities inhabiting the village were upheld. In eastern India all marriages were held in the presence of the Mandal. The duty of the village headman was to observe the conduct of the members of village community so as to prevent any offence against their caste.

(iv) Authority to levy fines: The Panchayats had the authority to levy fines and inflict more serious for punishment like expulsion from the community, ?these meant that the person was forced to leave the village and become an out caste and he lost the right to practise his profession. Such a measure was taken as a violation of caste norms.

Or

Mughal chronicles present the empire during Akbar as comprising many different ethnic and religious communities - Hindus, Jainas, Zoroastrians and Muslims.

1. 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.

2. Abu?l FazI describes the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul as the cornerstone of enlightened rule.

3. 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 fight among themselves.

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