Todar Mal introduced the Dahasala or Zabati system. In this system, probably the land cultivation and price of the produce was calculated for 10 years and one tenth of this part was the part of state for one year. This was called Ain-i-Dahsala, the new system that could give per Bigha Revenue to the different regions.
- The Dahasala system was introduced AkbarAkbar, the Great 1556-1605 The reign of Akbar for almost half a century is known as the Golden Period of the Mughal Empire. Akbar was the ..... in 1580-82
The correct details about the Dahasala system is not known but most scholars believe that following procedure was followed in Dahasala system:
- Average produce of 10 years was derived first.
- Average prices prevailing over the last 10 years was calculated
- 1/3rd of this average produce was fixed in Rupees per Bigha and that was the share of the state. Rest 2/3rd was left to the cultivators.
It’s worth note that Pargana was the largest unit of fiscal administration in Akbar’s time. There was an improvement also in Dahasala when the local prices of each Pargana started being taken into account. So -
- The peasants had to pay their taxes as per the locally produced crops and locally prevailed prices.
This system was applied in almost all territories of Akbar.
- The same system was extended in Deccan by Murshid Quili Khan.
In 1580, Akbar divided the entire kingdom into 12 Parganas. The administration in each Suba or Pargana was almost duplicated. Each Suba had a Subedar (Governor),a Diwan, a Bakshi, a Sadar, a Qazi and also a waqia navis. The job of the waqia navis was to document the events. The peace and security was the job of Kotwal.
