HistoryMedieval India: Peasants, Zamindars and the State

The Ain-i Akbari gives a picture of the sarkars in tables of eight co…

The Ain-i Akbari gives a picture of the sarkars in tables of eight columns. What do columns 7 and 8 of these tables record?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → The castes of the zamindars and their troops

Option (1) The measured area and the revenue assessed in cash — Incorrect. Measured area (arazi and zamin-i paimuda) and cash revenue (naqdi) fill columns 3 and 4.

Option (2) The castes of the zamindars and their troops — Correct. Columns 7 and 8 record the castes of the zamindars and their troops: horsemen (sawar), foot-soldiers (piyada) and elephants (fil).

Option (3) The forts and the grants of revenue in charity — Incorrect. Forts (qila) and charity grants (suyurghal) are columns 2 and 5 of the tables.

Option (4) The parganas and the revenue rates of each crop — Incorrect. Parganas head column 1.

NCERT (2026-27): “8. The Ain-i Akbari of Abu’l Fazl Allami …
After setting out details at the suba level, the Ain goes on to give a detailed picture of the sarkars below the suba. This it does in the form of tables, which have eight columns giving the following information: (1) parganat/mahal; (2) qila (forts); (3) arazi and zamin-i paimuda (measured area); (4) naqdi, revenue assessed in cash; (5) suyurghal, grants of revenue in charity; (6) zamindars; columns 7 and 8 contain details of the castes of these zamindars, and their troops including their horsemen (sawar), foot-soldiers (piyada) and elephants (fil ). …”