Chapter BEECHMÁN to BEGAR of B by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

BEGAR, BIGARRY, s. H. begari, from P. begar, ‘forced labour’ [be ‘without,’ gar (for kar), ‘one who works’]; a person pressed to carry a load, or do other work really or professedly for public service. In some provinces begar is the forced labour, and bigari the pressed man; whilst in Karnata, begari is the performance of the lowest village offices without money payment, but with remuneration in grain or land (Wilson). C. P. Brown says the word is Canarese; but the P. origin is hardly doubtful.

[1519.—“It happened that one day sixty bigairis went from the Comorin side towards the fort loaded with oyster-shells.”—Castanheda, Bk. V. ch. 38.]

[1525.—“The inhabitants of the villages are bound to supply begarins who are workmen.”—Archiv. Port. Orient. Fasc. V. p. 126.]

[1535.—“Telling him that they fought like heroes and worked (at building the fort) like bygairys.”—Correa, iii. 625.]

1554.—“And to 4 begguaryns, who serve as water carriers to the Portuguese and others in the said intrenchment, 15 leals a day to each.…”—S. Botelho, Tombo, 78.

1673.—“Gocurn, whither I took a Pilgrimage, with one other of the Factors, Four Peons, and Two Biggereens, or Porters only.”—Fryer, 158.

1800.—“The bygarry system is not bearable: it must be abolished entirely.”—Wellington, i. 244.

1815.—Aitchison’s Indian Treaties, &c., contains under this year numerous sunnuds issued, in Nepal War, to Hill Chiefs, stipulating for attendance when required with “begarees and sepoys.”—ii. 339 seqq.

1882.—“The Malauna people were some time back ordered to make a practicable road, but they flatly refused to do anything of the kind, saying they had never done any begâr labour, and did not intend to do any.”—(ref. wanting.)