Landed Aristocracy and Emergence of Social Stratification Among Muslims in Cachar (1830 - 1947)

Abstract

India has been basically an agrarian country and land revenue was the chief source of income to the rulers. The pre-colonial as well as colonial rulers were much concerned about the smooth collection of revenue, the objective being the maximum collection. The development of different kinds of institution of land led to the emergence of landed gentry during different periods of Indian History. The landed elite class or aristocrats remained the most influential institution in society in terms of political, social and economic dominance. The pre-colonial as well as colonial rulers of Cachar in southern Assam organised land revenue system associated with the emergence of precise landed class both among the Hindus as well as Muslims. The landed aristocrats being the rich, owning big estate and amassing wealth, remained as a class apart from rest of the society. They maintained matrimonial relationship with their fellow aristocratic class leading to the beginning of endogamous tradition in Muslim society with already existed caste endogamy. This factor resulted in the formation of new trends of towards upward social mobility by the agricultural and other intermediary class of people and resulted in the further proliferation of Muslim social order and formation of class stratification. In course of time, class stratification interacted with existing caste stratification on the basis of endogamy in the Muslim society in Cachar.