In the Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period, the term ‘pahi-kashta’ refers to:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis
Sources of the seventeenth century speak of two kinds of peasants. The khud-kashta were residents of the village in which they held their lands; that is Option (4). The pahi-kashta were non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis.
People became pahi-kashta either by choice, when the revenue terms of a distant village were better, or by compulsion, for example after a famine.
NCERT (2025-26): “1.2 Peasants and their lands … The term which Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period most frequently used to denote a peasant was raiyat (plural, riaya) or muzarian. In addition, we also encounter the terms kisan or asami. Sources of the seventeenth century refer to two kinds of peasants – khud-kashta and pahi-kashta. The former … were residents of the village in which they held their lands. The latter were non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis. People became pahi-kashta either out of choice – for example, when terms of revenue in a distant village were more favourable – or out of compulsion – for example, forced by economic distress after a famine.…” |