What does the Marathi Mutalik have in common with then Bengali Sikdar or a Mukadam ?
Unlikely as it may seem, both are designations/ titles used in the administration during the Afghan/ Mughal era…something like our present day Governor/ Rajyapal , Commisioner of Police etc.
To fully undertand this : In the afghan/ mughal era the basic unit of administration was the village. Several villages made a pargana (district) and several parganas made a shiqq (a dvision) , and several shiqqs made a suba (state) .
So accordingly, the officers who worked in these areas were designated as Shiqqdaar and Subadar which in modern times are called Sikdar (from Bengal mainly) and Subedar. A more exhaustive list is:
A. Bakshi: Keeper of the royal/ military stables
B. Mutalik : Governor
C. Diwan/ Deewan : Finance Manager
D. Majumdaar : Accountant (now mostly seen in Bengal and sometimes in Gujarat
E. Sarkar: Head of a Shiqq / Division (Mughal). Main responsibility was revenue collection.
F. Sikdar: Head of a Shiqq/ Division (Afghan). Same as Sarkar.
G. Quanungo/ Kanungo: Incharge of land measurements/ land records. Also known as Amin in some places.
H. Munsif : Assisted the Quanungo
I. Fotadar : In charge of the treasury/ cash.
J. Kotwal: Head of city security. From “KOT”= city walls
K. Subadar/ Subedar : governor of a state.
L. Patwari ; Village record keeper
M. Fadnavis: yet to find out
N. Karkhanis: In charge of supplies and factories (karkhaana)
O. Muqaddam/ Mukadam: Village headman
P> Daftari: Clerk.
So there you are ! Some of the names have survived only in a few regions (like Sikdar is not seen outside Bengal) , but many are seen in many places (Bakshi, which I think in turn originated from then word Baksh ..to give as in Bakshish) . And some cut across Religions, regions and Caste.
Unlikely as it may seem, both are designations/ titles used in the administration during the Afghan/ Mughal era…something like our present day Governor/ Rajyapal , Commisioner of Police etc.
To fully undertand this : In the afghan/ mughal era the basic unit of administration was the village. Several villages made a pargana (district) and several parganas made a shiqq (a dvision) , and several shiqqs made a suba (state) .
So accordingly, the officers who worked in these areas were designated as Shiqqdaar and Subadar which in modern times are called Sikdar (from Bengal mainly) and Subedar. A more exhaustive list is:
A. Bakshi: Keeper of the royal/ military stables
B. Mutalik : Governor
C. Diwan/ Deewan : Finance Manager
D. Majumdaar : Accountant (now mostly seen in Bengal and sometimes in Gujarat
E. Sarkar: Head of a Shiqq / Division (Mughal). Main responsibility was revenue collection.
F. Sikdar: Head of a Shiqq/ Division (Afghan). Same as Sarkar.
G. Quanungo/ Kanungo: Incharge of land measurements/ land records. Also known as Amin in some places.
H. Munsif : Assisted the Quanungo
I. Fotadar : In charge of the treasury/ cash.
J. Kotwal: Head of city security. From “KOT”= city walls
K. Subadar/ Subedar : governor of a state.
L. Patwari ; Village record keeper
M. Fadnavis: yet to find out
N. Karkhanis: In charge of supplies and factories (karkhaana)
O. Muqaddam/ Mukadam: Village headman
P> Daftari: Clerk.
So there you are ! Some of the names have survived only in a few regions (like Sikdar is not seen outside Bengal) , but many are seen in many places (Bakshi, which I think in turn originated from then word Baksh ..to give as in Bakshish) . And some cut across Religions, regions and Caste.
