Cutcherry
Also called: Kachahri · Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Colonialism and the Countryside"
Meaning
A cutcherry (kachahri) is an office or court. In Bengal, zamindars had their own cutcherries where they settled disputes and kept order. After the Permanent Settlement of 1793, these cutcherries were placed under the Company's Collector. Zamindars lost their power over local justice and police. This was one of the ways the Company weakened the zamindars even while depending on them for revenue.
Example
In the 1790s, a Bengal zamindar's cutcherry could no longer judge cases freely. It had to work under the eye of the district Collector, whose office became a new centre of authority.
Don't confuse with
- Collectorate: the cutcherry was the zamindar's own court or office. The collectorate was the Company Collector's office that supervised it.
Related concepts
- Izaradari system
- Lord Cornwallis
- Permanent Settlement
- Mahal
- Collector
- Amlah
- Sunset law
- Bengal Tenancy Act 1885