Question

In the Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period, the term “pahi-kashta” refers to:

• A. Non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis
• B. Non-resident cultivators who produced artefacts on a contractual basis
• C. Permanent resident cultivators who belonged to some other village and cultivated lands
• D. Residents of the village in which they held their lands

Hint:

Remember pahi-kashta as non-resident cultivators.
The key distinction is between their home village and the village where they actually cultivated land.
In Mughal agrarian questions, carefully distinguish terminology describing resident and non-resident peasants.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept:
Mughal agrarian society contained different categories of peasants and cultivators, and Indo-Persian administrative sources used specific terms to distinguish them.
The term “pahi-kashta” is associated with cultivators who did not permanently reside in the village where they cultivated land.

Step 1: Understanding the Term:
The word “pahi-kashta” referred to non-resident cultivators.
These cultivators belonged to another village but travelled to cultivate land elsewhere.
Their relationship with the land and village community therefore differed from that of permanent resident cultivators.

Step 2: Understanding Their Agricultural Arrangement:
Pahi-kashta cultivators could cultivate land on a contractual or temporary basis.
Their cultivation demonstrates that Mughal rural society was not limited to a simple division between landlords and permanently settled peasants.
There were several categories of cultivators whose rights and obligations could differ according to local circumstances.

Step 3: Comparing the Options:
Option (A) correctly describes non-resident cultivators who belonged to another village but cultivated land elsewhere on a contractual basis.
Option (B) incorrectly changes the occupation from cultivation to the production of artefacts.
Option (C) is contradictory because it describes them as permanent residents while the term specifically indicates non-residence.
Option (D) refers to residents of the village where they held their lands and therefore does not describe pahi-kashta cultivators.
Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct answer is (A) Non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis.