Charai Kar or Grazing Tax in British Garhwal

Exploitation of Forest Resources-2

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                            British Administration in Garhwal   -102

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -120

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -957

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

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                                     Ghee Kar in Old Garhwal

  Garhwali or Kumaoni Kings used to levy Sauni or Ghee tax on citizens. Garhwali Village chiefs used to collect Ghee as tax from villagers and used to deposit in Shrinagar store. This tax was in fact a grazing tax.

       Trail stopped the Ghee tax from Garhwal and Kumaon. However, Ghee tax was there in Tarai and Bhabhar.

  In summer there was shortage of fodders in hills and plains of Bijnor and Rohilkhand.

   People used to bring their domestic animals for grazing in Tarai and Bhabhar and state used to take grazing tax in Garhwal and Kumaon Kingdoms. However, state did not take tax from Garhwalis of hills.

                              Grazing Tax

 British confirmed taking grazing tax from all those brought animals for grazing in Bhabhar and Tarai.

 The grazing tax structure rate was as follows-

 Female buffalo – 3 anas annual

Caw- 2 ana annual

Bull – 1 ana annaul

 In 1812, British offered the grazing tax collection to three contractors and income was Rs.2070. British levied tax in Kumaon Bhabhar and Rohilkhand Tarai.

  In 1823, British government freed Garhwal hills grazers and Bhabhar inhabitants for paying grazing tax.

 Garhwal hill inhabitants used to build Chhani (kettle house) in Bhabhar and used to graze animals. British took tax for Chhani and not on numbers of animals. The tax was two ruppes per Chhani annually.

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 4/1/2017

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -958

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 279-286

 2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts, Vol.-1 page 845-847

Xx

History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;