Chapter ZEBU to ZEMINDAR of Z by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

ZEMINDAR, s. Pers. zamin-dar, ‘landholder.’ One holding land on which he pays revenue to the Government direct, and not to any intermediate superior. In Bengal Proper the zemindars hold generally considerable tracts, on a permanent settlement of the amount to be paid to Government. In the N.W. Provinces there are often a great many zemindars in a village, holding by a common settlement, periodically renewable. In the N.W. Provinces the rustic pronunciation of the word zamindar is hardly distinguishable from the ordinary Anglo-Indian pronunciation of jama’-dar (see JEMADAR), and the form given to zamindar in early English records shows that this pronunciation prevailed in Bengal more than two centuries ago.

1683.—“We lay at Bogatchera, a very pleasant and delightfull Country, y^e Gemidar invited us ashore, and showed us Store of Deer, Peacocks, &c., but it was not our good fortune to get any of them.”—Hedges, Diary, April 11; [Hak. Soc. i. 77, also i. 89].

[1686.—“He has ordered downe 300 horse under the conduct of three Jemidars.”—In ditto, II. lvi.]

1697.—“Having tried all means with the Jemidar of the Country adjacent to us to let us have the town of De Calcutta at the usual Hire or Rent, rather than fail, having promised him ¼ Part more than the Place at present brings him in, and all to no Purpose, he making frivolous and idle Objections, that he will not let us have any Part of the Country in the Right Honourable Company’s name, but that we might have it to our use in any of the Natives Names; the Reason he gives for it is, that the Place will be wholly lost to him—that we are a Powerful People—and that he cannot be possessed of his Country again when he sees Occasion — whereas he can take it from any of the Natives that rent any Part of his Country at his Pleasure.

October 31st, 1698. “The Prince having given us the three towns adjacent to our Settlement, viz. De Calcutta, Chutanutte, and Gobinpore, or more properly may be said the Jemmidarship of the said towns, paying the said Rent to the King as the Jemidars have successively done, and at the same time ordering the Jemmidar of the said towns to make over their Right and Title to the English upon their paying to the Jemidar(s) One thousand Rupees for the same, it was agreed that the Money should be paid, being the best Money that ever was spent for so great a Privilege; but the Jemmidar(s) making a great Noise, being unwilling to part with their Countrey…and finding them to continue in their averseness, notwithstanding the Prince had an officer upon them to bring them to a Compliance, it is agreed that 1,500 Rupees be paid them, provided they will relinquish their title to the said towns, and give it under their Hands in Writing, that they have made over the same to the Right Honourable Company.”—Ext of Consns. at Chuttanutte, the 29th December (Printed for Parliament in 1788).

In the preceding extracts the De prefixed to Calcutta is Pers. deh. ‘village,’ or ‘township,’ a common term in the language of Indian Revenue administration. An ‘Explanation of Terms’ furnished by W. Hastings to the Fort William Council in 1759 thus explains the word:

“Deeh—the ancient limits of any village or parish. Thus, ‘Deeh Calcutta’ means only that part which was originally inhabited.”—(In Long, p. 176.)

1707–8.—In a “List of Men’s Names, &c., immediately in the Service of the Hon^ble Vnited Compy. in their Factory of Fort William, Bengal.

New Co. 1707/8

Mr. William Bugden … Jemidar or rent gatherer.

1713. * *

Mr. Edward Page … Jemendar.”

MS. Records in India Office.

1762.—“One of the articles of the Treaty with Meer Jaffier says the Company shall enjoy the Zemidary of the Lands from Calcutta down to Culpee, they paying what is paid in the King’s Books.”—Holograph (unpublished) Letter of Ld. Clive, in India Office Records, dated Berkeley Square, Jan. 21.

1776.—“The Countrey Jemitdars remote from Calcutta, treat us frequently with great Insolence; and I was obliged to retreat with only an officer and 17 Sepoys near 6 Miles in the face of 3 or 400 Burgundasses (see BURKUNDAUZE), who lined the Woods and Kept a straggling Fire all y^e Way.”—MS. Letter of Major James Rennell, dd. August 5.

1778.—“This avaricious disposition the English plied with presents, which in 1698 obtained his permission to purchase from the Zemindar, or Indian proprietor, the town of Sootanutty, Calcutta and Govindpore.”—Orme, ii. 17.

1809.—“It is impossible for a province to be in a more flourishing state: and I must, in a great degree, attribute this to the total absence of zemindars.”—Ld. Valentia, i. 456. He means zemindars of the Bengal description.

1812.—“… the Zemindars, or hereditary Superintendents of Land.”—Fifth Report, 13.

[1818.—“The Bengal farmers, according to some, are the tenants of the Honourable Company; according to others, of the Jumidarus, or land-holders.”—Ward, Hindoos, i. 74.]

1822.—“Lord Cornwallis’s system was commended in Lord Wellesley’s time for some of its parts, which we now acknowledge to be the most defective. Surely you will not say it has no defects. The one I chiefly alluded to was its leaving the ryots at the mercy of the zemindars.”—Elphinstone, in Life, ii. 182.

1843.—“Our plain