Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
Jotedars were rich peasants in Bengal. They owned big plots of land sometimes running into thousand of acres of land. They controlled local trade and commerce including the money lending business. They had great influence on the local village population. They were regarded more powerful than the Zamindars even. Following are the main reasons for the high status of Jotedars.
1.The Jotedars controlled trade and commerce including money lending business at the local level.
2.In order to weaken the Zamindars, Jotedars would mobilise ryots not to pay or delay payment towards land revenue.
3.The Jotedars opposed the moves of Zamindars to increase the Jama of a village.
4.The Jotedars lived in villages only. Hence they were in a better position to interact with and influence the peasants.
5.Jotedars were rich and owned big areas of land under cultivation. Many a time they would buy estates of Zamindar. That would be auctioned due to failure to pay up land revenue.
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
On an outline map of the subcontinent, mark out the areas described in this chapter. Find out whether there were other areas where the Permanent Settlement and the ryotwari system were prevalent and plot these on the map as well.
What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against Fig. 10.20 the moneylenders?
Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the rebels.
What do the terms “White” and “Black” Town signify?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
In what way did Mahatma Gandhi transform the nature of the national movement?
Find out about the route of the Dandi March. On a map of Gujarat plot the line of the march and mark the major towns and villages that it passed along the route.Find out about the route of the Dandi March. On a map of Gujarat plot the line of the march and mark the major towns and villages that it passed along the route.
Why was British India partitioned?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
What connection did some of the members of the Constituent Assembly make between the political situation of the time and the need for a strong Centre?
What do visual representations tell us about the revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these representations?
What steps did the British take to quell the uprising?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?