Zakat
Explanation
The Chola Empire maintained a complex administrative structure supported by a vast revenue system. Inscriptions from the period, particularly those found in the Tamil region, record more than 400 terms for various types of taxes, dues, and obligations levied on the subjects.Analysis of Options:
- Vetti: This is frequently mentioned in Chola inscriptions. It refers to a tax taken not in cash but in the form of forced labor.
- Kadamai: This term refers to land revenue, which was the primary source of income for the state.
- Levy on thatched houses Levy on thatched houses: The inscriptions detail specific taxes on property and daily life, including taxes on thatched houses, the use of a ladder to climb palm trees, and a cess on succession to family property.
- Zakat: This is an obligatory tax required of Muslims, representing one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is distinct to Islamic administration and jurisprudence and was not a revenue source in the Chola administration.
Key Takeaway: The Chola revenue system included specific terms such as Vetti (forced labor) and Kadamai (land revenue), whereas Zakat is an Islamic taxation concept unrelated to the Chola dynasty.