Diwan-i-Riyasat
Topic: Turkic Invasions and the Delhi Sultanate · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Diwan-i-Riyasat was a government department. Alauddin Khalji set it up in Delhi in the early 14th century to run his market control system. The department fixed the prices of grain, cloth, horses and other goods. It also made sure traders obeyed those prices. It controlled the market superintendents, called shahna-i-mandi, and kept a register of merchants. Low, fixed prices let the sultan pay a very large army with modest wages.
Example
In Delhi's grain markets, the department kept the price of wheat fixed. Merchants were registered, and grain was stored in state granaries. Spies reported traders who cheated on price or weight, and those traders were punished.
Don't confuse with
- Diwan-i-Amir-i-Kohi: this was Muhammad bin Tughlaq's department of agriculture. It tried to extend farming. The Diwan-i-Riyasat dealt with markets and prices.
Related concepts
- Khilji dynasty
- Jalaluddin Khalji
- Alauddin Khalji
- Mongol invasions of India
- Siri Fort
- Hauz Khas
- Alai Darwaza
- Market reforms of Alauddin Khalji
- Shahna-i-Mandi
- Dagh and chehra