‘Jotedars’ were also known as:
(A) Haoladars
(B) Zamindars
(C) Gantidars
(D) Bargadars
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (C) only
(A) Haoladars Correct. In some places the jotedars were called haoladars.
(B) Zamindars Incorrect. The zamindars were a different group, often in conflict with the jotedars. Jotedars lived in the villages, resisted the zamindars’ efforts to raise the jama of the village and deliberately delayed payments of revenue to them.
(C) Gantidars Correct. Elsewhere the jotedars were known as gantidars or mandals.
(D) Bargadars Incorrect. Bargadars (also called adhiyars) were the sharecroppers who cultivated the jotedars’ land, bringing their own ploughs and handing over half the produce after the harvest.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.4 The rise of the jotedars … A large part of their land was cultivated through sharecroppers (adhiyars or bargadars) who brought their own ploughs, laboured in the field, and handed over half the produce to the jotedars after the harvest. Within the villages, the power of jotedars was more effective than that of zamindars. Unlike zamindars who often lived in urban areas, jotedars were located in the villages and exercised direct control over a considerable section of poor villagers. They fiercely resisted efforts by zamindars to increase the jama of the village, prevented zamindari officials from executing their duties, mobilised ryots who were dependent on them, and deliberately delayed payments of revenue to the zamindar. In fact, when the estates of the zamindars were auctioned for failure to make revenue payment, jotedars were often amongst the purchasers. The jotedars were most powerful in North Bengal, although rich peasants and village headmen were emerging as commanding figures in the countryside in other parts of Bengal as well. In some places they were called haoladars, elsewhere they were known as gantidars or mandals.…” |