Thokdar

In in feudal India, Thokdar, also known as Sayana, was a hereditary title held by those responsible for revenue collection within administrative units called parganas. Thokdars acted as intermediaries between central authorities and local village-level administration, ensuring efficient collection of taxes and dues.[1][2][3][4]

System structure

Within the parganas, Thokdars appointed Padhans, who managed village-level revenue collection. In some areas, they held significant authority, shaping local administrative and social structures.[1][2]

Role and responsibilities

Thokdars were primarily responsible for:

  • Revenue collection: They supervised and collected revenue from the villages under their jurisdiction, often through appointed village-level officers called Padhans.
  • Offerings and entitlements: Thokdars received nazrana (offerings) from the villages during festivals, family ceremonies, and other occasions. They were also entitled to a portion of certain local resources, such as a leg of every goat killed during communal or religious festivals in their divisions.
  • Land rights: Thokdars enjoyed portions of rent-free land in their own villages and exercised significant influence over local land-related matters.
  • Hereditary status: The title of Thokdar was hereditary, passing down within families across generations.[1][2]

Thokdar surnames

References

  1. ^ a b c Rawat, Ajay Singh (2002). Garhwal Himalaya: A Study in Historical Perspective. Indus Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7387-136-8.
  2. ^ a b c Linkenbach, Antje (2007). Forest Futures: Global Representations and Ground Realities in the Himalayas. Seagull. ISBN 978-1-905422-52-4.
  3. ^ Division, India Census (1961). Himachal Pradesh. Office of the Registrar General.
  4. ^ Linkenbach, Antje (2007). Forest Futures: Global Representations and Ground Realities in the Himalayas. Seagull. ISBN 978-1-905422-52-4.
  5. ^ Rawat, Ajay Singh (2002). Garhwal Himalaya: A Study in Historical Perspective. Indus Publishing. p. 69. ISBN 978-81-7387-136-8.
  6. ^ Atkinson, Edwin Thomas (1998). The Himalayan Gazetteer. Bhavana Books & Prints. p. 563.
  7. ^ Atkinson, Edwin Thomas (1998). The Himalayan Gazetteer. Bhavana Books & Prints.
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