ABSTRACT

Some recent studies on the nineteenth century history of rural Bihar have concentrated on movement of land prices, sale of land holdings and the role of Zamindaris. They have been based on archival materials drawn from India and Great Britain. However, the Board of Revenue Library, Government of Bihar, Patna appears to have been ignored. This chapter discusses Revenue Roll Registers, compiled in the 1890s and preserved in the Board of Revenue Library. The Revenue Roll registers are devoted to each district. A study of Revenue rolls of each district would indicate the number of Zamindaris in the respective districts. In a number of cases, the Rolls show that the amount of revenue due is crossed in red ink and a new amount has been substituted. The sum is less than the original. For example, in Barabar Khurd Paperahi of pargana Goh the revenue amount was decreased from Rs. 300 to 202 in 1892.