Who among the following officials was primarily responsible for supervising the preparation of village accounts in the Mughal village administration?

Correct Option

The correct option is Patwari.

Explanation

The Mughal administrative system was highly centralized but relied on a structured hierarchy for local governance. The administration was divided into Subas (provinces), Sarkars (districts), Parganas (sub-districts), and Villages (Mawda). At the village level, local officials were responsible for maintaining land records and revenue accounts.

Option Analysis

• Patwari Patwari: Correct. The Patwari was the village accountant. His primary duty was to maintain the records of land holdings, crops grown, and the revenue liability of individual cultivators. He worked closely with the village headman (Muqaddam) to facilitate revenue collection. The documents maintained by the Patwari were crucial for the assessment of land revenue.
• Qazi Qazi: Incorrect. The Qazi was a judicial officer responsible for administering justice based on Islamic law (Sharia). He was not involved in the maintenance of village accounts or land revenue records.
• Kotwal Kotwal: Incorrect. The Kotwal was the chief police officer and administrator of a town or city. His duties included maintaining law and order, controlling markets, and preventing crime in urban areas, not managing village accounts.
• Faujdar Faujdar: Incorrect. The Faujdar was the administrative and military head of a Sarkar (district). He was responsible for maintaining law and order and assisting revenue officials (like the Amalguzar) in revenue collection, but he did not directly supervise the preparation of village-level accounts.

Key Takeaway

In the Mughal village administration, the Patwari acted as the village accountant responsible for maintaining land and revenue records, while the Muqaddam (headman) was responsible for the collection of revenue.