IHB s x a a n The Chitradurga land system represents the g^eral characteristics of Indian agrarian pattern as a whole, though modified, ^o as to suit their particular way of life and events. Xhe careful scrutiny of the various land rv transactions undertaken by the Nayakas of Chitradurga, reveals that the institution of private property in land was recognised by the king and society. Ihe king had his own landed property, and also got any uncultivated land or unclaimed land for the Government. Xhe king made grants of lands to individuals as ««11 as to the institutions like teiiqples, mathas. and aeraharas. The lands granted could be tax-free or rated at quit-rent. The Nayakas had some basic criteria for granting or gifting lands to the individuals or to the institutions. The criterion could be the recognition of services or acknowledge­ ment of obligation or provision of incentives or contribtttions made by the individuals or institutions. This service might be to the land, people, or to the king himself. The ovinershlp rights of numerous lands were granted to persons and institutions by the kings in recognition of services rendered by these units. The services which entitled one to receive lands as gifts were of various types such as religious, social or military. 96 97 A fen Instances may be noted. In the year 1691 A.D. Obanna Nayaka made a grant of land in Bhavinda to a manson and a carpenter for their services. In the year 1556 A.D. limmanna Nayaka granted a iasana to Xammadls of Hlriyvir* Such grants were'also made to the village officials as remuneration for their services. According to an inscription, Kamageti Kasturi Madakeri Nayaka granted the toi»n lands of Qoudasamudra to 2 a certain Baguru Raiodeva. Timmanna Nayaka, usho had got Holalkere slm5_as an ’’amarmagani", granted it to his brother- 3 in-law Crulliyappa Nayaka us an Umball. The Uinbali grants were made to individuals only and not to the institutions. Besides, they were granted as gifts only* The granting of Sasanas was meant for legalising the grant of lands as well as for confirming the grants already bestowed in the past. In A.D. 1556 Tlmmanna Nayaka granted a iasana to the holders of a temple and also to a Brahmin for 4 their tax-free endowments. The tax-free lands were granted, not only by the monarchs, but also by their subordinates, and other officials of the State. For instance, the Goudas of Nandan Hosarur granted the Goudanakote field to Mallayya's 1. XI, p. 109. 2. Ibid.« p. 166. 3. P* 4. P« 109. 98 1 8on Chennayya who had built the temple of God Hanumanta. Treasure liadaima’ s daughter Gangamma granted a piece of 2 land to Hudrappa Deva. Agraharag t Often assignments of entire villages were made to a given assembly of the Brahmins. Such village assignments were styled " agraharas” . These are granted out of respect for the Brahmins and for promoting the study of religious lores. In A.O. 1653 Obanna Nayaka made to the son of a certain Puttaiina, a grant of Kadolegadu belonging to Hir« 8 Guntur Itegani in the Chitrfihalli sime, as an agrahara. The Chitradurga Nayakas not only granted endowments, but were even keen on seeing that such endowments were enjoyed by the right persons, and they were not misappropriated. The Agrahara mentioned above was given In the beginning by Obanna Nayaka to a certain Chennayya. And in the same year (A.D. 1653) Obanna liayaka granted it to Bagurbhatta together with all the dry cultivation, wet cultivation, forced labour, labour for wages and coitoms dUM and all the money rents, in sole (OtSMSloa and •njoyn.eats.'^ earlier donee might have misappropriated his rig):its, or lost interest in the cultiva- 1« P* 2 , p* 126. 3 . ifeidU* p. 14. P* 90* 90 tlon of these lands. Sometimes the/ rebuilt the village and founded agraharaa. In A.D. 1728 Madakeri Nay aka made a grant of the village of Mallanahalli in the Kodaganuru simt ^ to a certain ^amacharya with a deed of gift of an agrahara . The inscription says, **being in rains we have had it rebuilt in our name as Madakeri pura and have granted it to you” * We have seen that the Sasanas were given for granting as well as for confirming the grants made in the past. There were occasions tihen the Chitradurga rulers granted lands to agrahar^ and bestowed the dasana on the donees. In A.D. 1721 prince Chikkanna Nayaka in the presence of the farmers and village servants of the four boundaries of villages marked out the boundaries of the Anesindri fields and granted them the port^ Konappa's agrahara and set up a 8«sana«^ The Vrittis were often granted to the ?ilathas for the maintenance of the Chhatras or feeding houses. Thus in 1756 A.D. Raja Madakeri Nayaka granted the village of Qoudanahalli in the Hiriyuru sime for the Annachhatramatha 3 he established in Hiriyuru. In A.D. 1716 Baramanna Nayaka made a grant of the village of Demalvanhalli in the Kodaganuru sime to Raghunath Tirth Sripad of Vyasaraya Matha, establisher 4 of Valshnava Siddhanta. 1. XI, p. 80. 2. 1121^, p. m . 3 . p . 110. 4. 1 ^ , p. 78. 100 leaaULffiffiaa la tha Deccan there were broadly two kinds of land tenures, v i z .. beneficiary tenure and service tenure. The beneficiary tenures were of three kinds z brahmadaya. devadaya^ and mathaoura. The brahmadaya tenure included assignments of land made either to the individual Brahmins^ or to an assembly of Brahmins, as we have seen above. In the devadaya tenure there were included endowments made to tha temples for the daily occasional services, to the deity for Nandadeepa or perpiitual lamp and for various kinds of ’ -- 1 other services. Thus limmanna Nayaka, when he was granted the Holalkere sime from TiruMalaraya of l^ijayanagara, made a grant to the temple of Venugopal in Holalkere. Having set up the god Bhaktapala Venugopal Krishna and repaired the ct temple, he granted to the archika Venkatacharya Dixit the village property. The Chltradurga rulers erected temples and made grants to them. In A.D. 1698 Baramanna Nayaka's son restored the teazle of Ahobala Narasinha of Niruthadi, as 2 it was destroyed by the Patashaha's ariqy* Not only the lands, but also other kinds of property attached thereto, were bestowed on some donees. It may be noted that the Nayakas grented lands for the prosperity of their sons and grandsons. Two inscriptions relating to the 1. MAR. 1916, p. 6&* 2 . P* 81* 101 1 Oarjeegatha village granted to a certain Gadarlpalll Svaml, 2 and the Kadalegadu village belonging to Hire Guntura clearly mentions that the assignments «ere to be enjoyed hereditarily* In A.D. 1755 the Nay aka *s guard Ifadakeri Nayaka granted to Dadiga Dasteri, a land in Horarkere to be enjoyed by his 3 son, grandson and their posterity. It shons that the Chitradurga rulers respected the rights of the people, and that the institution of private property in land nas recog­ nised. Sometimes Inscriptions sayj that the land granted to a donee could be enjoyed by his son, grandson and their posterity. Finally, there were the mathaoura grants, assignments made to thU Mathas for preserving the religious traditions therein. Such assignments were not necessarily made by the government only, but even by the king's officials. In 1576 A.D. Kamageti Kasturi Hangappa Nayaka's Dalwai Biaramappa 4 made a grant to the Virakta Matha of Jigluru for the promo­ tion of the Lingayat sect. Again Kasturi Chikkanna Nayaka-raya made a grant of Nagenhalli village as rent-free grant for 5 the Ramanuja sect* Baramanna Nayaka granted the village of Demalavanahalli in the Kodaganuru sime to the Raghunath tirtha 1* X I, p. 123, 2* Ibid * * p* 121» 3 . 4. IkMxf p. 167. 5 . p. 111. loe 1 Shrlpada of Vyasaraya Sfetha, astabliaher of Valahnava- Slddhanta. The inscription says that all these deeds of gifts were Sarvamanva i . e . , completely tax-free. The service tenure implied assignments to the employees of the government. Their services were usually remunerated by grants of lends. Such assignments were made for raising and maintaining armies for the State. The recipients of such grants were known as Nayakas in Karnataka. The Chitradurga Nayakas received their grant (Holalkere) from the Vijayanagara Empire. These Nayakas were placed In change of different areas charged with the duties of main­ tenance of peace and order In their respective Jurisdictions. These areas of land were generally known as »amarmaganis». if lands granted in perpetuity. Thus Timmanna Nayaka received the Holalkere slj® as an 'amarmagani* from Tiruaalraya of 2 Vijayanagara in A.D. 1568 and a similar grant in Hiriyuru| 3 and eventually in Chitradurga. In return for this, the Kayakas were required to make stipulated financial contri­ butions to the governments every year and some civil and military contributions whenever needed. There are instances where the Chitradurga Nayakas helped in expeditions of Vijayanagara. For instance, Kalburga showed enmity against Chitradurga in A.D. 1681. Saluva Narasingaraya, the then 1. jCI, p . 78. 2. 1 ^ , p. 116. 3. Eice, QD.cit.. p. SOI. 103 1 king of Vijayanagara, took the help of Tlmmanna JIayaka, But these Nayakas later on became the founders of small principalities. The Chitradurga Nayakas became independent in A.D. 1698 (according to the inscriptions) during the declining days of the Vijayanagara empire. Xhis Nayakaship can be compared viiith the Saranjamdars of Maharashtra. Such civil and military employees in Maharashtra were styled *watandars*. They were required to raise and maintain a contingent of troops for the government and also to run the civil govarnment in their areas.