In 1799 part of a large estate in Burdwan is put up at auction. The sale deed shows the buyer as a little-known servant of the raja's household, though the money comes from the raja's own treasury. Some months later, an outsider from Calcutta buys another part of the same estate at an auction. When his agent arrives to take charge, armed men of the former raja beat him back. The cultivators of the villages also refuse to accept the new master and keep turning to the old raja.
Which term describes the purchase made in the name of the household servant?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Benami
Option (1) Benami — Correct. Benami, literally anonymous, is a transaction made in the name of a fictitious or relatively insignificant person. Here the servant is the name and the raja is the real buyer.
Option (2) Pottah — Incorrect. A pottah was a deed of contract that set how much land a cultivator held. It records a holding openly.
Option (3) Kist — Incorrect. A kist was an instalment of revenue. The jotedars fell behind on almost every kist.
Option (4) Jama — Incorrect. Jama was the revenue demand that the zamindar distributed over the villages. It is a sum owed to the Company.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.5 The zamindars resist … “Benami, literally anonymous, is a term used in Hindi and several other Indian languages for transactions made in the name of a fictitious or relatively insignificant person, whereas the real beneficiary remains unnamed.” |