Bahi khata
Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Colonialism and the Countryside"
Meaning
A bahi khata was the account book of a moneylender or trader. It recorded loans, interest and repayments. In the Bombay Deccan of the 19th century, ryots had to borrow to pay the heavy land revenue. As a result, the moneylender's books held the record of their growing debts. To the peasants, these books became symbols of being cheated and controlled.
Example
In the Deccan Riots of 1875, which began at Supa in Poona district, ryots attacked sahukars (moneylenders). They took the bahi khatas and debt bonds and burnt them. They did this to wipe out the record of their debts.
Don't confuse with
- Debt bond: a single loan agreement signed by the borrower. Under the Limitation Law of 1859, a bond was valid for three years. The bahi khata was the moneylender's running record of all his accounts.
Related concepts
- David Ricardo
- Ricardian theory of rent
- Rentier
- Bombay Deccan
- Thomas Munro
- Ryotwari system
- Temporary settlement
- Mahalwari system
- Malguzar
- Deccan famine of 1832-34