Previous Year Question
With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
In Mughal administration, the ascending order from the smaller to the larger territorial unit was Pargana → Sarkar → Suba.
A Pargana was the smallest of these territorial administrative units. It consisted of a number of villages. Officials such as the Shiqdar, Amil and Qanungo were associated with revenue and local administration at the pargana level.
Several Parganas together constituted a Sarkar. A Sarkar was broadly comparable to a district-level unit. The Faujdar was associated with law, order and military responsibilities, while officers such as the Amalguzar dealt with revenue administration.
Several Sarkars together formed a Suba. The Suba was a large provincial division of the Mughal Empire and was headed by a Subadar.
This hierarchy is corroborated by Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari. For example, records of Akbar's administration show the sequence Delhi Suba → Hisar Sarkar → Sirsa Mahal/Pargana. The term Mahal was used in many such revenue records for a unit corresponding to a Pargana.