Examine individual changes

'{{More citations needed|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}} [[File:Charles_D%27Oyly04.jpg|right|thumb|Bara Katra in [[Dhaka]], [[Bangladesh]], built by [[Shaista Khan]] through the support of the Talukdars]] The '''Talukdars''' or '''Talukders ( [[Bengali language|Bangla]] : তালুকদার,''' {{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|تعلقدار}}}}) (from [[Arabic language|Arabic]] ''ta'alluq'', "attachment " + ''dar'' "owner"), were [[Aristocracy (class)|aristocrat]]s who formed the ruling class during the [[Delhi Sultanate]], [[Bengal Sultanate]],[[Mughal Empire]] and [[British Raj|British times]]. They were owners of a vast amount of lands, consistently hereditary,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourdictionary.com/talukdar|title=Talukdar Meaning &#124; Best 1 Definitions of Talukdar|website=www.yourdictionary.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/glossary/t.htm|title=The British Empire, Imperialism, Colonialism, Colonies|first=Stephen|last=Luscombe|website=www.britishempire.co.uk}}</ref> and were responsible for collecting taxes. The Taluqdars played helpful roles in the progression of [[Indian architecture]] and [[Indian economy]] during the reign of Emperor [[Shah Jahan]] and [[Aurangzeb]], particularly in [[Bengal Subah]], the most economically developed province in [[South Asia]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Taluqdars |journal=Administration of Justice Under the Nizams, 1724-1948 |volume=State Archives, Andhra Pradesh |year=1988}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Poverty from the Wealth of Nations: Integration and Polarization in the Global Economy since 1760 |author=M. Shahid Alam |author-link=M. Shahid Alam |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media]]|year=2016|page=32 |isbn=978-0-333-98564-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=suKKCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA32}}</ref><ref name="Prakash">[[Om Prakash (historian)|Om Prakash]], "[http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3447600139/WHIC?u=seat24826&xid=6b597320 Empire, Mughal]", ''History of World Trade Since 1450'', edited by John J. McCusker, vol. 1, Macmillan Reference US, 2006, pp. 237–240, ''World History in Context''. Retrieved 3 August 2017</ref> Being powerful [[peerage|peers]], similar to those of Europe in the [[Middle Ages]], after the decline of the Mughal state the Taluqdaris were to withstand the revenue collectors of the [[Colonial India|Colonial Powers]] while also bringing given number of villages under their dominion, and thus, according to many historians, the rapid development and enhancing power and wealth of the Taluqdaris during the early 19th century caused tremendous difficulties and concerns to the [[East India Company|British East India Company]].<ref group=note>{{cite book |last=Zastoupil |first=Lynn |title=John Stuart Mill and India |year=2006 |publisher= Stanford University Press |location=California, USA |isbn=978-0804766173}}</ref> The majority of the Taluqdaris constructed themselves enormous mud [[Fortification|fortified towers]] throughout [[tropical forest]]s and maintained immense bodies of armed [[Affinity (medieval)|affinities]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gupta |first=Gautam |title=1857 The Uprising |publisher=8123022994}}</ref> The historical equivalent in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] is similar to a member of the landed aristocracy, or perhaps a [[Lord of the Manor]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=A chronic inability of taluqdars to meet the revenue demands |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=II|year=1997}}</ref> In contemporary usage, the term is often regarded as a noble tribe and clan,<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Sisson |editor1-first=Richard |editor1-link=John Richard Sisson |editor2-last=Wolpert |editor2-first=Stanley |editor2-link=Stanley Wolpert |year=2006 |orig-year=First published 1988 |title=Congress and Indian Nationalism: The Pre-independence Phase |publisher=University of California Press |page=408 |isbn=978-0-520-06041-8 |quote=taluqdar: large landlord in UP}}</ref> although it may convey some diverse meanings in different parts of the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Talukdar |volume=26 |page=386}}</ref> It is mentioned that throughout Oudh till Bihar, there was a presence of large numbers of [[Rajput]] Taluqdars and they played an important role in 1857 in the region.<ref>{{Cite book|title= Aftermath of Revolt: India 1857-1970| pages=299|author=Thomas R.Metcalf| date=8 December 2015| isbn=9781400876648|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ByTWCgAAQBAJ&dq=Rajput+Taluqdars&pg=PA299}}</ref> ==Kinds of Taluqdars== (1) A tax collector with administrative power over a district of several villages in [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]], [[Rajasthan]], [[East Bengal]] (presently [[Bangladesh]]), and rest of [[North India]]/[[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]]. (2) An official and civil servant in [[Hyderabad State]] during the British colonial era, equivalent to a magistrate and tax collector. (3) A landholder with peculiar tenures in various other parts of [[British India]]. (4) Landholders dividing taxes for the [[Zamindars]] in [[East Bengal]] (now [[Bangladesh]]). ==Taluqdaris== The district or estate ruled by a Taluqdar was known as '''talukdari''' or '''taluqdari'''. According to the Punjab settlement report of 1862, great land holders were appointed Taluqdars over a number of villages during the [[Mughal era]]. That Taluq or district usually comprised over 84 villages and a central town. The Talukdar was required to collect taxes, maintain law and order, and provide military supplies/manpower to the provincial government (similar to the role of feudal lords in Europe). In most cases the Talukdars were entitled to keep one tenth of the collected revenue. However, some privileged Talukdars were entitled to one quarter and hence were called [[Chaudhry]], which literally means owner of the fourth part. In [[Rajasthan]], [[Kathiawar]] and [[Bengal]], a talukdar was next only to a raja in extent of land control and social status; but in Punjab and the United Provinces talukdars were much more powerful and were directly under the provincial governor. The late Mughal era saw the rise of powerful talukdars in [[Oudh]], northern India, such as [[Balrampur]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/b/balrampur.html|title=Balrampur (Taluqdari)}}</ref> [[Nanpara Taluqdari|Nanpara]], [[Bhadri Estate|Bhadri]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/b/bhadri.html|title=Bhadri (Taluq)}}</ref> [[Arkha]], [[Itaunja]], who seldom paid any collected revenue to the central government and became virtual rulers of their districts. Similarly, in northern Punjab, the talukdars of [[Chakwal Tehsil|Dhanni]], Gheb and Kot were extremely powerful. Fascinatingly, the Talukdars of Sylhet District (Bangladesh and India ) played second fiddle to no one. Namely the Talukdars of Shiekhpur, Balagoinj and Fenchugoinj, Bakharpur who enjoyed total power, influence and authority, became Nawabs and Maharajas (Imperial, Royal and Noble rank) in absolute terms.<ref>{{Citation|title=History of Sylhet|date=2021-10-23|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=History_of_Sylhet&oldid=1051453545|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2021-12-29}}</ref> Eighteenth century Bengal witnessed the rise of great territorial landholders at the expense of smaller landholders who were reduced to the status of dependent taluqdars, required to pay their revenue to the government through the intermediary of the great landlords called [[rai (title)|Rai]]s, [[rana (title)|Rana]]s, [[Raja]]s and [[Maharaja]]s. However many old taluqdars paid revenues to the government directly like Raja Jung Bahadur of Nanpara Estate and were as powerful as the Rajas. Some taluqdars like Thakur Ameer Haider Zaidi of estate Bahuwa,Thakur Ghulam Haider of estate Bahuwa, Chowdhury Ali Akhtar of Bilwa, Ramzan Ali Khan of Unnao, Raja Azam Ali Khan of Deogaon, and Thakur Roshan Zama Khan of Usmanpur were very close to the government and played an important role in tax collection in region of Awadh. ==Hyderabad State== During the rule of the [[Nizams]] in [[Hyderabad State]] the top of the administrator / tax revenue collector hierarchy was the [[Subedar]], who had responsibility for the largest divisions of the country, i.e. the Princely [[State of Hyderabad]], of which there were five. Below this rank, the official title of the lower division (i.e. subdivisions of the five above) post holder was [[Tehsildar]] and below that the rank of Taluqdar, so in effect it could be equated to the three-tier ranking from province administrator to county administrator to district administrator in size from the largest to smallest. These are further divided into villages, under a village officer. Today, the names Talukdar and Choudhry (with variations in spelling) are common in India and in Indians settled overseas among the descendants of those who held this rank or role in times past. == See also == {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} * [[Examples of feudalism]] * [[Feudalism in India]] * [[Feudalism in Pakistan]] * [[Tribe]] * [[Zamindar]] * [[Ghatwals and Mulraiyats]] * [[Lord]] * [[Taluqa]] * [[Tehsil]] * [[Tehsildar]] * [[Chaudhary]] {{Div col end}} ==Notes== {{Reflist|group=note}} ==References== {{Reflist}} [[Category:Titles in India]] [[Category:Medieval India]] [[Category:Government of British India]] [[Category:Indian feudalism]] [[Category:Feudalism in Pakistan]] [[Category:Feudalism in Bangladesh]] [[Category:Titles in Bangladesh]] [[Category:Bengali Muslim surnames]]'