Peace comes through Treaty

Peace comes through Treaty

Mughals became very powerful under Emperor Akbar. But Mewar was a challenge for them. Babur did defeat Rana Sanga, but Mewar was not fully won. Akbar conquered Gujarat in 1573, built Buland Darwaja in Fatehpur Sikri in celebration of the victory, but for a stable route to Gujarat from Delhi, Mewar was important to bring under Mughal rule. He tried to make Maharana Pratap the Vasal of Mughal but Pratap didn’t submit. Akbar was using diplomatic means of marriage and awarding ranks to the princely states to acquire authority. He offered the rank of 5000 zat and 5000 sawar to Maharana Pratap but the Amer Prince Mansingh was holding the rank of 7000 zat and 7000 sawar, may be, therefore, Maharana Pratap didn’t accept the offer. He preferred independence to power. 7000 zat and 7000 sawar was one of the highest ranks of Mughal Empire awarded to the family members of the Emperor. Akbar did acquire control over Rajputana and celebrated the victory by laying foundation of new capital Fatehpur Sikri (city of victory) in 1569, but to win Mewar the battle was inevitable.

When Akbar was eying over Bengal, his general and nephew of Empress Jodhabai, Amer Prince Maharaja Mansingh I, headed Mughal forces and defeated Maharana Pratap in the battle of Haldighati in June 1576. After a brave and fierce fight of six hours, injured Maharana escaped to the hills.

It is to note at this junction of the history that, Emperor Akbar was forced to attend rebellion of Bengal (afghan), Bihar (khans), incursion in Punjab (his brother Hakim Mirza) and threat of Khanate of Bukhara King Uzbek Abdulla Khan Shaybanid over Kabul and Mughal Empire. Akbar seized Kabul in 1581 and physically moved to Lahore in 1585, made it capital and remained there for 13 years and returned to Agra after the death of Abdullah Khan in 1598. Therefore, Mughal pressure over Mewar was relaxed and in that space Maharana Pratap recovered western Mewar. He died of injuries sustained in hunting in 1597, aged 56. He became the symbol of Rajput valour and self sacrifice for principles for centuries.

His eldest son Amar Singh became the king of Mewar in 1597. Jahangir after his coronation in 1606, started attacks over Mewar. Losing men and finance while fighting battles, Maharana Amarsingh  surrendered to Mughal in 1615 by signing treaty with Shah Jahan (for Emperor Jahangir), accepting the Mughal rank of 5000 zat and 5000 sawar. He was exempted from personal presence to the Mughal court and allowed to not to enter into matrimonial relation with Mughal.

Finally, the treaty brought peace in Mewar.

Punamchand
8 December 2019

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Chauth (1/4), the tax of Power

Chauth (1/4), the tax of Power

Chauth (one fourth) of the produce or revenue was levied as annual tax-lagan-tribute on the tillers by the landlords-Kings. When the crops were harvested, the daroga, faujdar, jamadar of the lords were coming to collect the share of the lords and were not leaving even the share from the fodder.

In the Agroestate country of India, Land revenue was the major source of income. As agriculture was dependent on monsoon crop, the failure of crop was the major calamity over the kings and the people. Therefore, all the rituals and celebrations pre and post monsoon were performed regularly in India. One fourth of the quality was so much weaved in the life of the common man that even while worshipping and offerings to the deity, chauth was placed before the Gods and Goddesses.

As the tradition was chauth prevalent in India for centuries, when the smaller kings became vassals under the bigger king, they used to pay annual tribute like chauth. Aurangzeb gave rights to collect chauth and Sardeshmukhi to Shivaji and subsequent Maratha rulers for maintaining a contingent of troops for the emperor. The Suba-Governor posted were the revenue collectors. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire started diminishing and by 1757, their rule was nominal. Maratha under the Peshwas became powerful, extended their authority over northern and western India. However, there were princely states under the Vassals of Mughal, therefore, Maratha instead of taking over the throne of Delhi, preferred to sign Ahmedia Treaty with Mughal, took right to levy chauth on the lands which were under nominal Mughal rule. They levied additional 10% on the top of Chauth as Sardeshmukhi as extra tribute to the King. It was charged to provide armed security for the state. It had brought the Marathas under the direct conflict with the princely states, in turn they didn’t support Marathas, saw them falling in the third battle of Panipat against Ahmed Shah Abdalli.

Najibabdawlah the robila pashtun was in service to the Mughal as Mir Bakshi but was deserted by the Mughal Emperor under the order of Peshwa was the major cause of the battle of Panipat. Najib then joined Abdali. Leaving the major Maratha Army behind at Pune, the major purpose of sending troops to counter Abdalli was mainly for providing armed security to the Mughal Emperor and to acquire control over Delhi as he was paying Chauth to the Maratha Peshva, it seems. Maratha didn’t dethrone the Emperor after winning Delhi. Maratha then moved to Kunjpura killed Najabat Khan Pathan and conquered. But behind them was Abdali, they could neither return to Delhi nor moving forward, and were sieged at Panipat’.

It is a great surprise of the history that the Maratha Army headed by Sadashivrao travelled so long from Pune to Panipat via Delhi to take on Abdali at Panipat was carrying their families and children, as if it was a pilgrimage. They were blocked at Panipat and their food chain supply was also blocked. On the day of the battle, they had no food to eat and had started the day with a water made of jaggery. They fought bravely but lost. After winning the battle, Abdalli’s army slaughtered 40000 innocents Marathas women and children in the streets of Panipat and carried many of them as slaves.

Ruling was mainly to acquire power over the area and to collect revenue to maintain power. Muslim Sultans and Emperors were appointing Governors, Suberdars, Jagirdars, Talukdar, etc, and assigning them the Jagirs of villages and land. The Jagirdars had to pay prescribed money tribute and had to maintain fixed number of troops and horses that to send for battles whenever asked for. The armies in India were formed through assembly of Jagir troops. Bigger the alliance, bigger the power. For an example Zainabad Jagir created during the Sultan rule in 15th century in Gujarat was maintaining 12000 troops and 12000 horses and had participated in many battles.

Under the pressure of earning more revenue from the land, many uncultivated lands were brought under cultivation and many villages were established as Agro Estates. The revenue or the crop share (1/4th) collected from the people were spent on paying annual tribute, maintenance of the troops and horses, and paying salaries to the staff appointed for collection of revenue and maintenance of law and order in the jagir area.

Marathas and their alliance fought so bravely at battle of Panipat that no Afghan of Turk thereafter tried to conquer India. It created a room for the rise of Shikhs as buffer wall of India. British settled in Bengal then started their spread over other parts of India. The rise of Shikhs and British were the major outcomes of the third battle of panipat. With smart diplomacy, British managed wining wars against the Marathas and Shikhs and finally established the rule of British Crown over India.

The concept of Chauth (tax) charged to provide armed security was copied by Lord Wellesley and created a system of subsidiary alliance to bring princely states under the british control of the East India Company. When the states failed to pay the charges of the armed security provided by the EEC, it acquired the territorial rights, placed its administration to collect land revenue from the tillers and came in direct conflict with the people of India.

Gaekvad in Gujarat smartly placed many jagirdars under the direct control of British so that the burden of collection of revenue and paying to British was shifted on the shoulders of the Jagirdar. One such Jagir in Zinzuwada of Gujarat was paying ₹11093/annum to the British residents.

The British Laws that commanded India had opened the doors of freedom under the principles of natural justice and rule of law. Post independence, land reforms were implemented. First time in the history of India, Tillers became the owners of the land and were freed from the chauth they were paying to the rulers for centuries.

Is Karva Chauth a tax similarly levied on wives (subject) by the Gods to save their husbands (masters)?

Punamchand
15 December 2019

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Tips for better Health

Tips for better health

Obesity is the major cause of ill health of many. One of the MPs had suffered chest pain in a public function was moved to UNM and was relieved by placing a stent in the artery of his heart. He was advised by the very popular authority of the country to follow the health tips to lose weight and live a healthy and long life. His tips was followed by some of the MPs who have improved their BMI in short time. Do you wish to know the tips?

The tips are very easy to implement, just you need health consciousness and to say NO during the day.

1) Start your day with a cup of green-black tea. Don’t eat anything with the tea.

2) Take lunch for 55 minutes from 10 AM to 10.55 AM. Eat for 55 minutes whatever you like (prefer less oily lunch) but close it with two glass of juice of bottle guard mixed with 25 leaves of Fudina, 25 leaves of Tulsi, and 10 black pepper. While eating lunch, keep a room for the bottle guard juice.

3) Take dinner for 55 minutes from 7 PM to 7.55 PM. Eat for 55 minutes whatever suits to your body (prefer light dinner)  but close it with two glass of juice of bottle guard mixed with 25 leaves of Fudina, 25 leaves of Tulsi, and 10 black pepper.

4) Nothing to eat between the scheduled mentioned above. You may need strong will power to say no during this off time.

5) Prefer vegetarian meals and avoid milk and milk products.

The logic is simple. When you eat something, the body digestive system get activated and start secreting juices and acids for 55 minutes. If you eat many times in a day, the digestive cycle of 55 minutes goes on working many times in a day and damage the body organs and intestinal walls, further weaken the digestive order. Running the system only twice in a day will allow the healing mechanism of the body to repair the damages and remove the toxins from the body.

The 14 hours break from 7.55 PM to 10 AM burns the extra fat from the body and improves your BMI.

If you follow, you will feel lighter in weight, healthier in action and smarter in performance. Are you ready? You can start now.

शुभम् भवतु कल्याणम।

Punamchand
18 December 2019

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Mamlatdar Mohanlal Shah

Mamlatdar (Tehsildar) Mohanlal Shah

When we joined service in mid eighties, there was a proverb of revenue administration, “કલેક્ટર કકળાટ કરે, મામલતદાર મૂંઝાય, સર્કલ બિચારો શું કરે, તલાટી કરે તે થાય”. Collector clamours, Mamlatdar confused, what can a Circle do, the Talati (Patvari) is supreme. Over these 35 years, the mode of governance changed. Regulatory mechanism has been replaced by the developmental and people friendly administration. Now, who clamours, who confuses and who decides, the players are changed. But when Britishers were ruling India, Mamlatdar and Collector were the powerful and supreme authorities.

Bardoli Satyagraha against the 30% rise of land revenue was lead and won by Vallabhbhai Patel successfully in 1928. Gandhi kept himself away. The women of Bardoli bestowed the title Sardar to Vallabhbhai Patel. The Satyagrah made Vallabhbhai Patel an important national leader thereafter. It was fought on the pattern of Kheda Satyagrah lead by Gandhi in 1918.

At National front, Jawaharlal Nehru succeeded his father Motilal Nehru as INC President in 1929. Purna Swaraj (total independence) resolution was passed at Lahore session of Congress on 19 December 1929 and public announcement was made to celebrate 26 January 1930 as Independence Day. It was followed by 34 days of famous 241 mile (384 km) long Dandi March of Gandhiji from Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari from 12 March to 6 April 1930. Pinch of salt lifted by Gandhi brought out millions of Indian out of home fighting Civil Disobedience Movement, resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin pact, round table conference, GoI Act 1935, and further more the dominion status of self rule and freedom after 17 years.

The farmers of Kheda were facing consecutive three years of drought 1928-30. Farmers were demanding tax exemption. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel advised the peasants of Matar and Mehmadabad taluka to refuse tax payment. Afraid of the agitation, Alfred Master the Collector of Kheda postponed the recovery of revenue for one year. Vallabhbhai wished to go for no tax campaign like Bardoli Satyagrah, but Gandhiji was worried about the violence and actions of the authority of confiscation of land, animals and properties of the peasants, therefore was in search of an alternative mode of agitation and had found out the easier but effective option of involving common people without fear of losing land or animals. It was to break the law of salt. Vallabhbhai Patel was in disagreement and had considered it a weak agitation, but the words of Gandhi were final. Smarter Gandhiji then entrusted the job of deciding the route of Salt March to Vallabhbhai, that he had transferred to Ravishankar Maharaj and Mohanlal Pandya. Both suggested Dandi.

After Gandhi’s announcement of breaking the law of salt, the Collector Kheda Alfred Master prepared the list of persons to be detained including Sardar Patel. The Collector Kheda announced prohibition of public address for a month. Unaware Vallabhbhai Patel when he was addressing the gathering at village Ras, the First Class Magistrate of Borsad served him a notice. SP Bilimoria arrested and brought him before the Collector Alfred Master, who after 90 minutes hearing, punished him with an imprisonment of 3 months and fine of ₹500 (or 3 weeks additional jail) on 7 March 1930. He was sent to Sabarmati jail. At the gate SP Bilimoria offered him Sigaret but knowing well the jail rules Patel left sigaret smoking forever. Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia objected the punishment to Vallabhbhai Patel and raised the issue of freedom of speech in the Central Legislative Assembly.

Sardar Patel remained in Sabarmati jail for 111 days from 7 March 1930 to 26 June 1930. When he was moved out of jail on 26 June, the entire nation was charged and changed under the Dandi victory of Gandhiji. Jawaharlal and his father Motilal were also arrested, therefore, Vallabhbhai worked as Working President of INC. Gandhiji was arrested on 4 May 1930, therefore, Vallabhbhai Patel was in lead role. But he was again arrested on 31 July 1930 from Mumbai and was placed in Yerwada jail with Gandhiji. Jawaharlal Nehru was also shifted to Yerwada jail.

Ras village of Borsad taluka was the major centre of agitation. When Gandhi’s Dandi March reached Ras on 19 March 1930, the peasants of Ras and other 13 villages resolved to refuse pay land revenue tax under the threat of losing land and properties. Borsad taluka started no tax agitation from May 10, that was supported by peasants of Kheda in a Sammelan on 31 May at Kheda. Collector Alfred Master and his Mamlatdar Mohanlal Shah were active in crushing the agitation. One Mohan (Gandhi) was leading the agitation and another Mohan (Mamlatdar) was crushing it! Mamlatdar Shah was moving with police force in vehicles, was beating the peasants and looting their ornaments. He established temporary detention centres and was arresting the leaders and placing them in them. It had created fear and terror amongst the villagers and by February, many of them migrated to Vadodara and were staying in refugee camps made of leaves and stems of trees. Their lands were confiscated and officers resigned were fired.

The Collector and the Mamlatdar then declared sale of agricultural land confiscated from the Patidars and offered them to the Baraiya and Patanvadia Koli of the taluka. On September 20, Mamlatdar Shah told the Kolis of Asodar village that he had come to return their land at ₹10 for 10 bighas which were taken away from them by the Patidars during the major drought year of 1899-1900. He promised them to give police protection. In December, he offered land, houses and position of Mukhi to them and declared himself the saviour of Baraiya and Patanvadia. Under his instigation, theft of standing crop and fire of houses of Patidara took place in 17 villages. But his divide and rule policy didn’t work longer. He tried to convinced the Baraiya that they were the original kings and owner of the land. But Congress leader Bhavanji Parmar called a meeting of Baraiyas of 17 villages and resolved that whosoever Baraiya purchases the land of Patidar would be boycotted socially. Therefore, except few, none came forward. All 51 villages of Borsad taluka joined the no tax movement and didn’t surrender against the divide and rule strategy of the Collector and the Mamlatdar. However, under the force, they could recover 40% of the land revenue from the taluka. When Revenue Minister Frank Hudson visited Borsad in December 1930, the refugees of Ras and Bochasan met him and represented the atrocities of the Mamlatdar. Mamlatdar Mohanlal Shah was transferred and Solomon Benjamin was made the Mamlatdar of Borsad. Collector Alfred was replaced by Perry in 1931.

Compromise was reached by Gandhi-Irwin pact but Mumbai Goverment didn’t agree to return the confiscated and sold land of patidars during the agitation. Arrested agitators were released from the jails but the compromise didn’t save Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru from capital punishment. It had opened the door of “self rule” Gandhi told. In 1931 Sardar Patel replaced Jawaharlal Nehru as President of INC. But his brother Viththalbhai Patel who resigned from the post of Chairman of the Central Legislative Assembly during the Civil Disobedience movement was annoyed as he aimed the chair. Finally, with the efforts of Sardar Patel, barring 72 acres, 1792 acres of confiscated land of Borsad taluka was returned to the peasants by 30 April 1931.

Malatdar of Borsad Mohanlal Shah under the British authority of the Collector Kheda Alfred Master, did challenge the public authority of Sardar Patel in 1930 in the name of Social Justice of offering confiscated land of Patidars to the Baraiya and Patanvadia Koli, was not confused but was clear in his goal of serving the British authority. Days have changed after independence, and the authority of Mamlatdar diminished but the importance of revenue administration continued. And therefore, in a service of 35 years in IAS, even though one can become Collector for 2-5 years, still the aspirants carry the craze for the post of Collector, the legacy of British Administration.

Punamchand
25 December 2019

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Happy Makar Sakranti

Happy Makar Sakranti

India is celebrating Winter Solstice (Uttarayan) on 14 January and Punjab has celebrated it yesterday (13 January) as Lohri. The West celebrates it as Christmas, on 25 December. However over the years the winter solstice day (Uttarayan) is changed, and this year, it was on 22nd December 2019, the shortest day and longest night of the year. 14 January in fact is a Makar Sakranti (Sun transits to Capricorn) day. This year the Sun transits to Capricorn at 2.23 AM on 15 January.

At the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning most away from the Sun for the year. Earth is positioned in its orbit so that the Sun stays below the north pole horizon. As seen from 23.5 degrees south of the equator, at the imaginary line encircling the globe known as the Tropic of Capricorn, the Sun shines directly overhead at noon. This is as far south as the Sun ever gets. All locations south of the equator have day lengths greater than 12 hours at the December solstice. Meanwhile, all locations north of the equator have day lengths less than 12 hours.

Winter Solstice is celebrated as the Victory of Sun over darkness. On Uttarayan day, Hindus perform Surya Namaskar and offer water to Sun chanting:

“ॐ ऐही सूर्यदेव सहस्त्रांशो तेजो राशि जगत्पते।अनुकम्पय मां भक्त्या गृहणार्ध्य दिवाकर:।।ॐ सूर्याय नम:, ॐ आदित्याय नम:, ॐ नमो भास्कराय नम:।अर्घ्य समर्पयामि।।”

Seasons greetings and Happy Makar Sakranti.

Punamchand
14 January 2020

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Why attraction between male and female?

Why attraction between male and female?

It is natural. Hindu theory of creation describes the Creator’s male-female energy. The male is called Niranjana-unmanifested-pure and the female is called the Prakriti-nature-Mahamaya-manifested. The male and female on the earth are the mixture of these two energies. Male is made of the eight parts of Niranjana and two parts of Mahamaya; and the female if made of eight parts of Mahamaya and two parts of Niranjana.

How is the female made? The female physician body is made of the seven of the eight parts of Mahamaya. The eighth part was used in making the Ida-Moon-Nadi- left breath of the subtle body. The two parts of Niranjana are used, one in making the Pingala-Sun Nadi-right breath, and the second part was divided into two and placed one half in the eyes and one half in the genital. Therefore, the Niranjan-male present in the eyes, genital and right breath of the female plays over the male-Mahamaya.

How is the male made? The male is made of eight parts of Niranjana and two parts of Mahamaya. The seven parts of Niranjana are used in making the physical body of male. The eighth part of Niranjana is used for the Pingala-Sun-right nadi-breath. One parts of Mahamaya is used for making the Ida-Moon-left nadi, and the second was divided into two, one is placed in the eyes and another in the genital. Therefore, the Mahamaya-female present on the eyes, genital and left breath in male desires and plays over the Niranjana.

The breath of male and female while copulation plays important role in deciding the gender of the child. The Sun-Pingala-right breath of male and the Moon-Ida-left breathe of female make the male and vice versa.

As the Niranjana part is placed in the eyes of the female, therefore, eyes of female are more attractive than male. The male in fact is a female (Mahamaya) and female is a male (Niranjana) in the story of creation.

मातृकाभ्यो नम:

Punamchand
15 January 2020

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Friendship

Friendship

During the recent visit of President Trump to Ahmedabad, H’ble PM of India in his concluding remarks described the strong bonding of friendship between India and America by referring a Sanskrit Subhashit तन्मित्रं यत्र विश्वास: He remarked, whether two people or two countries are concerned, it’s biggest basis is trust. Trust on each other. तन्मित्रं यत्र विश्वास: friendship is where trust is unshakable.

Here is the full Subhashit telling the role of a son, a father, a friend and a spouse.

ते पुत्रा ये पितुर्भक्ताः सः पिता यस्तु पोषकः।
तन्मित्रं यत्र विश्वासः सा भार्या या निवृतिः ॥

पुत्र वही है, जो पिता का भक्त है । पिता वही है,जो पोषक है, मित्र वही है, जो विश्वासपात्र हो । पत्नी वही है, जो हृदय को आनन्दित करे ।

Sanskrit Subhashits are wisdom lines of India that light the better way of life.

Punamchand
4 March 2020

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