Which of the following terms were used in the Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period to denote a peasant ? 1. Raiyat 2. Asami 3. Muzarian 4. Majur Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1, 2 and 3 only
- D.1, 3 and 4 only
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, 1, 2 and 3 only. Raiyat, muzarian and asami were all used for the peasant in Mughal-period sources, while majur means a labourer. The Indo-Persian sources of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries most often called the peasant raiyat (plural riaya) or muzarian; the words kisan and asami also appear. Sources further divided peasants into khud-kashta, residents who cultivated their own land in the village, and pahi-kashta, non-resident cultivators who tilled land elsewhere on contract. Majur, from mazdur, refers to a hired worker who did not hold land, so statement 4 is incorrect. Option A is wrong because it leaves out muzarian, one of the most common terms. Option B is wrong because it leaves out raiyat, the most frequent term of all. Option D is wrong because it includes majur and omits asami. Exam tip: Mughal peasant = raiyat or muzarian (also kisan, asami); khud-kashta = resident, pahi-kashta = non-resident cultivator.
Practice Questions
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- B.Civil Disobedience Movement.
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- C.Madame Blavatsky
- D.Sarojini Naidu
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- C.Medieval saints
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