Land System and Management in the Colonial Period: A Study of Barak Valley

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The book explores the features of land systems in a pan-Indian context. Land system, land management and revenue settlement in the Barak Valley region during British period have been brought to light in this book. Connected subjects like land grant, the role of Khel in the changed circumstances, revenue patterns, employment of officials are analysed in this book. An attempt has also been made to trace out the effects of new land settlement on the people and their reaction against this change.

The Barak Valley is situated in the extreme north-eastern part of India. Before the advent of the British rule the present Barak Valley which was under the princely regime had its own land systems. The land system underwent a significant change during the colonial period. In fact, during the colonial period there were different land systems in different parts of India. An attempt has also been made to analyse the impact of land systems on the economy of the valley during the colonial period.

The book should be of immense use to students, teachers, professionals and laymen interested in the colonial land and revenue administration of the Barak Valley in particular and India in general.

SUPARNA ROY (b. 1973) is a gold medallist in M.A. (History), M.Phil and Ph.D from Assam University, Silchar, Assam. Presently she is working as Lecturer in History in Rabindrasadan Girls' College, Karimganj. She is an upcoming scholar and has published a few research papers. She has also undertaken a Minor Research Project funded by the UGC. She is also a life member of Indian History Congress.

During the colonial period there were different land systems in different parts of the country. Infact the pre-colonial land sytems underwent a great change with the advent of the British rule in India. Assam during that period had a land system peculiar to it, and not directly derived or copied from others. It was based on the principle of direct dealing with the individual cultivator and his separate holding, without any middleman landlord, or joint responsibility of a group of land holdings. Though the individuals right over property remained severely restricted for a long time but the disintegration of the primitive community could not be stopped. With the development of private property there came trade, both home and foreign, and with it the possibility of accumulating wealth.

The cultivators were being exploited during the British period by the fedual gentry at the instance of the colonial rulers. These exploitation had given rise to the series of sporadic upsurges leading to organised movements. Later on, these merged in to the national movement under the leadership of the Kishan Sabha and the Communist Party of India. The present work is sensitive to these issues.

The present Barak Valley is composed of three districts, namely, Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The district of Karimganj was never a part of the undivided Cachar district. It was only after independence and the partition of India that three and half thanas of Sylhet district was integrated with the Cachar district. Cachar- Sylhet region was included in the various kingdoms that had emerged in south east Bengal during early historic period like Gauda, Banga and Samatata. Cachar and Sylhet together formed the Snhatta rajya or Srihatta kingdom in 11 and 12 century A.D. In ancient time, Cachar, Sylhet and Chittagong were colonised by the Aryans and the area was known as Pratyanta Desha. During the later part of the 18th century Cachar was annexed by the Dimasa king of Maibang and this opened a new history of Cachar. In the 20s and 30s of the 19th century was weaken and in 1830 the last Raja Govida Chandra was assassinated who had no heir. In 1832 it was annexed by the British govemment. The book attempts to trace out the pre-colonial as well as colonial land systems and its effects on the economy of the Barak Valley.

I acknowledge my indebtedness and deep sense of gratitude to Late Prof. Ranjit Kumar De of the Department of the History of Assam University who was my Supervisor for the doctoral thesis. I have been immensely benefitted from his guidance during the course of my work for this book.

My acknowledgement is due to the authors whose work I had to consult. I wish to thank Director, Librarians and staffs of National Archives, New Delhi, West Bengal State Archives, Calcutta, National Library, Calcutta, Assam Secretariat Records and Library, Cachar District Record Room and Library and Assam University Library, Silchar.

I am thankful to my husband Dr. Niranjan Roy who accompanied me on various occasion during my visit to different Archives and Libraries. I convey my thanks to my mother, elder brothers and other family members for their constant support and encouragement. I also express my sincere thanks to Mittal Publications, New Delhi for taking the responsibility to publish the book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**