3 - Western India

Summary

Agriculture

Prior to the middle of the nineteenth century, agriculture in Western India, as in other parts of the country, was the only means of livelihood for the overwhelming majority of the population. It was also an important subsidiary source of income to those engaged in rural industries, village services and pastoral occupations. Considerable numbers of almost all castes and tribes, excepting the merchant class of Vanis, depended entirely on agriculture. The traditionally dominant cultivating castes, however, were Kanbis in Gujarat, Kunbis in Maharashtra, and Lingayats in Karnatak, and they were generally more skilful in agricultural operations than cultivators of other castes.

Due to the erratic behaviour of the south-west monsoon, almost every quinquennium of the period under review witnessed severe and widespread droughts resulting in famines. Although the population was mostly settled, instances of whole villages dispersing with their cattle to better places during the worst seasons, were not uncommon. But deserting the fields due to plundering became increasingly rare under the British administration.

By 1760 the Marathas had occupied most of the populous parts of western India, and their general policies and style of administration had, therefore, an important bearing on agricultural development. Their system of granting liberally hereditary rent-free inams and vatans very probably resulted in the gradual expansion of the tillage area. New villages were settled by the grant of various special concessions to the new settlers, and the security of the cultivators' possessions was guaranteed by issuing covenants known as Kaulnamas to them. Again, special revenue concessions were offered for the reclamation of waste lands, for undertaking irrigational works and so forth.