Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 247

SEPTEMBER, 1923 1
EARLY HISTORY OF INDIAN FAMINES
231
Ahmedabad Bedar. No rain fell during the next year either and the towns in consequence became almost depopulated. Many of the inhabitants died of famine and numbers emigrated for food to Malwa, Jafnagger and Gujarat. In Telingana and Maharashtra and throughout the Bahmini no grain was sown for two years; and in the third when the Almighty God showered His mercy on the earth, scarcely any farmers remained in the country to cultivate the lands." A general dearth was experienced in Hindustan in 1491 (Balfour, Cyclopædia of India). The Delhi country was visited by a local famine in A.D. 1494 (Loveday, History and Economics of Indian Famines, p. 136). In A.D. 1500 a severe famine prevailed in the Delhi country; but all relief measures were prevented by the never-ending dynastic wars (ibid.). Scarcity of rain, combined with ceaseless internecine warfare, produced a famine in Bombay in 1520 ; no relief measures were undertaken (ibid.). A very general famine in Sind in A.D. 1521 was produced by failure of the rains (Balfour, Cyclopedis of India). Sind in A.D. 1527 was severely affected by dearth. This famine of A.D. 1527 possesses a peculiar interest as being the result neither of the ordinary ravages of war nor of perverse meteorological conditions, but of a deliberate defensive policy. "In A.D. 1527 Jam Nunda, ruler of Sind, with the same object in view as the Dutch when they opened their sluice gates, ordered all standing corn in that country to be destroyed. The scheme was unsuccessful; but at least the effects were not so fatal as when thirteen years later Mirza Shah Humayun forbade the sowing of corn on either bank of the river, and prohibited import. For, in the former case, with a favourable harvest six months later, the distress passed away; whereas, in the latter reign, two years of natural deficiency followed the year of artificial famine and the people were delivered from the conqueror to be decimated by want" (Loveday, History of Indian Famines, ch. I).
Appendix A. I. The following from a grant dated A.D. 1084 by Kulotfunga Chola, shows the taxes and seigneurial dues levied under the Chôļas in the Tanjore district :".... May you enjoy the several trees and the enjoyment and cultivation, etc. For the enjoyment of the abova rights may you enjoy also the nad atchi, the nirdichi, one nels (of rice collection) for every vatti (platter), one nili (of rice cultivation) on the days sacred to the manes, the tax on weddings, the tax on washermen's stones, the tax on potters, the rent on water, the leaves collection, a cloth for every loom, the brokerage, the taxes on goldsmiths, the tax on neatherds, the tax on sheep, the good oow, the good bull, the watch, eto."
II. The following taken from Mr. Rice's Mysore and Coorg (p. 174) is a Mysore inscription illustrating the Hoysala taxation : "Land rent, plough tax, house tax, forced labour, accountant's fee, provender, unexpected visitor, army, double payment, change of district, threshing floor, tribute on coming of age, festivity subscriptions, boundary marks, birth of a son, fodder for elephants, foddər for horses, sale within village, favour of the palace, alarm, seizure, destruction of injury caused by the nad or magistrate, and whatever else may come."
III. A number of Tamil inscriptions discovered in 1913 give a long list of the obligations and taxes to which a landlord of the Pandya kingdom was subject: In return for the right of growing any crops wet or dry, including plantain, sugar-cane, turmeric, ginger, areca and cocoanut he was bound, we are informed, to pay “the taxes in gold and in grain, such as udsalka damai, perka damai, tarikkadamai, Sekkofu, eruttusammadam, mada-rikkam, Talayarikkami, asuvakkadamai, Pattadainulayam, idattura, vettivari, paļavari and puduvari (that may be enforced by the palace), na!lerudu (good bull), narpasu (good cow), nallerumdi (good bullock), narkila (good ewe), konigai, virimuthu, edakkatiyam, viruttupadu udugarai and mugamparavi. To this the other cognate inscriptions add : Palatali, kāņikkai, sandai,