Paik system
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The ''Paik'' system was a type of corvee labour system on which the economy of the Ahom kingdom of medieval
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
depended. In this system, adult and able males, called ''paiks'' were obligated to render service to the state and form its
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
in return for a piece of land for cultivation owned by the kingdom—believed to be a legacy the Ahoms brought with them from
South-Eastern Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
in 1228. But it wasn't the Ahom kingdom alone that used a corvee system like this in
Northeast India , native_name_lang = mni , settlement_type = , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , motto = , image_map = Northeast india.png , ...
Kingdom of Manipur The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Brit ...
and in a simpler form
Jaintia kingdom The Jaintia Kingdom was a matrilineal kingdom in present-day Bangladesh's Sylhet Division and India's Meghalaya state. It was partitioned into three in 630 AD by Raja Guhak for his three sons, into the Jaintia Kingdom, Gour Kingdom and Laur K ...
and the
Kachari kingdom The Dimasa Kingdom (also Kachari kingdom) was a late medieval/early modern kingdom in Assam, Northeast India ruled by Dimasa kings. The Dimasa kingdom and others (Kamata, Chutiya) that developed in the wake of the Kamarupa kingdom were examp ...
too used similar systems that had tribal origins. The mature structure was designed by Momai Tamuli Borbarua in 1608, and extensively and exhaustively implemented by 1658 during the reign of Sutamla Jayadhwaj Singha. The system continued to evolve over time to meet the needs of the Ahom state and in time began to accumulate contradictions. By the end of the
Moamoria rebellion The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) was the 18th century uprising in Ahom kingdom of present-day Assam that began as power struggle between the Moamorias (''Mataks''), the adherents of the Moamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This uprising s ...
(1769–1805) the Paik system had collapsed. The Paik system has had a profound impact on Assam's social life, with many collective practices originating in the medieval times. Many people in Assam today still carry the Paik offices titles in their last names—'' Bora'', ''
Saikia Saikia was a Paik system, Paik officer of the Ahom Army, Ahom militia who led a hundred ''paiks''. There was a similar office in the Kamata kingdom, Koch kingdom as well. As it was a purely administrative position, the title holder could belong to ...
'' and ''
Hazarika Hazarika was a Paik officer under the administration of the Ahom kingdom and Koch kingdom. The commander over 1,000 (''Hazar'') ''paiks'' was known as a ''Hazarika''. As it was a purely administrative position, the title holder could belong t ...
''.


''Paik'' system

Every male in the Ahom kingdom between the ages of fifteen and fifty who was not a noble, a priest, a high caste or a slave was a ''paik''. The paiks were organized into four-member groups called ''got''s. Each ''got'' had to send one member by rotation for public works. During the absence of a paik the other members of the ''got'' took care of his lands and family. In times of war, the paiks formed the militia. All lands under rice cultivation belonged to the state. Originally, the paiks were organized into ''phoid''s (clans), but by the 17th century the paiks were re-grouped into divisions called ''khel''s. According to Guha (1991), about 90% of the population belonged to this class at the time of
Rudra Singha Sukhrungphaa (reigned 1696–1714), or Swargadeo Rudra Singha, was a Tungkhungia ahom king and 30th king of the Ahom kingdom under whom the kingdom reached its zenith of power and glory, he is considered as the most illustrious of the Ah ...
, around 1714. The top landed
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
landed
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
was about 1% and the rest constituted the servile class.


Land holdings

The duty of a ''paik'' was to render service to the Ahom state in exchange for which he was granted 2 ''puras'' (2.66 acres) of
usufruct Usufruct () is a limited real right (or ''in rem'' right) found in civil-law and mixed jurisdictions that unites the two property interests of ''usus'' and ''fructus'': * ''Usus'' (''use'') is the right to use or enjoy a thing possessed, directl ...
cultivable land (''gaa mati''), which was neither hereditary nor transferable. In addition he could maintain his tax-free ancestral homestead and garden (''basti'' and ''bari'' respectively). The nobility maintained personal estates called ''khats''. Cultivable land called ''roopeet'' was held communally that was distributed among the ''paiks'' (called ''gaa mati''). Wastelands reclaimed by ''paiks'' or non-''paiks'' not covered by a royal grant are subject to inclusion in the ''roopeet'' category to be distributed as ''gaa mati'' in the next ''paik'' survey. Surplus cultivable land was distributed as ''ubar mati'' among the ''paiks''.


Royal service

The royal services that the ''paiks'' tended to were defense (the Ahom kingdom did not have a standing army till the beginning of 19th century and its army consisted of the
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
formed of ''paiks''), civil construction (embankments, roads, bridges, tanks, etc.), military production (boats, arrows, muskets), etc. There were two major classes of ''paiks'': ''kanri paik'' (archer) who rendered his service as a soldier or as a laborer and ''chamua paik'' who rendered non-manual service and had a higher social standing. Some other minor classes were: ''bilatiyas'' (tenants at the estates of nobles), ''dewaliyas'' (attached to temples and
sattra Satras are institutional centers associated with the Ekasarana tradition of Vaishnavism, largely found in the Indian state of Assam and neighboring regions. Numbering in the hundreds, these centers are generally independent of each other and ...
s) and ''bahatiyas'' (attached to hill masters). ''Kanri paiks'' could move up to ''chamua''. Most of the lower paik officers—Bora, Saikia, Hazarika, Tamuli, Pachani—belonged to the ''chamua'' class. After the first major survey recorded in the
Buranji Buranjis (Ahom language: ''ancient writings'') are a class of historical chronicles and manuscripts associated with the Ahom kingdom written initially in Ahom Language and later in Assamese language as well. The Buranjis are an example of histor ...
s which was taken in 1510 under
Suhungmung Suhungmung (), or Dihingia Roja I was one of the most prominent Ahom Kings who ruled at the cusp of Assam's medieval history. His reign broke from the early Ahom rule and established a multi-ethnic polity in his kingdom. Under him the Ahom K ...
, the ''paiks'' were organized according to families and lineage called ''phoids'' and resettled according to their skills. The number of ''paiks'' rendering royal service at any time followed the principle of ''ghar muri e-powa'' or one-fourth the number of ''paiks'' in a household. The ''paik'' rendering service was rotated and the other ''paiks'' in his household tended to his ''gaa mati'' during his absence. In the 1609 restructuring by Momai Tamuli Borbarua the ''phoid'' organization was replaced by the ''got''. A ''got'' consisted of four ''paiks'' who lived close together. The ''paiks'' in a ''got'' were numbered ''mul'' (first), ''duwal'' (second), ''tewal'' (third), etc. In times of peace, generally one of the ''paiks'' in a ''got'' rendered royal service at any given time. In times of war, a second or even a third ''paik'' from a ''got'' could be asked to render service simultaneously. As before, the ''gaa mati'' was tended to by the remaining ''paiks'' of the ''got''. This ensured that economic production did not suffer when a large section of the population was not involved in it and contributed to the resilience of the Ahom kingdom in the 16th to 18th century. During the time of
Rajeswar Singha Suremphaa (reign 1751–1769), or Rajeswar Singha, the fourth son of Rudra Singha, became the king of the Ahom kingdom after the death of his brother King Pramatta Singha. Rudra Singha's third son, Mohanmala Maladev Gohain, was considered i ...
(1752–1789), as the pressure on the ''paik'' system increased, the number of ''paiks'' in each ''got'' was decreased from four to three.


Organization of the ''paiks''

The ''paiks'' in their ''phoids'' were organized under ''khels'' according to the locality in which they belonged. Momai Tamuli Borbarua reorganized many such ''khels'' functionally according to the specific service the ''paiks'' in the khel rendered. Some of the ''khels'' were thus similar to professional or trade guilds. The organization of the ''khel'' was extended later by his son
Lachit Borphukan Lachit Barphukan was an Ahom commander, known for his leadership in the Battle of Saraighat that thwarted an invasion by Mughal forces under the command of Ramsingh I. Biography Lachit was born to Momai Tamuli, a commoner who rose to the ran ...
into self contained ones by incorporating ''paiks'' of different professions into each ''khel''. ''Khels'' were further organized under a ''mel'' or a ''dagi''. A group of such divisions was attached to each of the three great Gohains, which is then called the ''hatimur'' of the particular ''Gohain''. A second group of divisions was placed under the ''khel'' officers (''Phukan'', ''Rajkhowa'' and ''Barua'') that rendered service to members of the royal family. The third and the largest group of ''dagis'', organized under ''khel'' officers, rendered service to the king or the state.


''Paik'' officials

The ''paiks'' in a ''khel'' were organized under a gradation of officials who commanded a set number of them. They were ''Bora'' (20 ''paiks''), ''Saikia'' (100) and ''Hazarika'' (1000). More important ''khels'' were commanded by a ''Phukan'' (6000), a ''Rajkhowa'' (a governor of a territory), or a ''Barua'' (a superintending officer) each of whom could command between 2000 and 3000 ''paiks''. The '' Phukans'', ''Rajkhowas'', ''Baruas'' and '' Hazarikas'' were nominated by the king and appointed in concurrence with the three great ''Gohains'' (
Burhagohain Buragohain ( Ahom language: ''Chao Phrung Mung'') was the first of the two original counsellors in the Ahom kingdom. He was selected by the Ahom king from members of the Ahom nobility (''Satgharia Ahom''),who vowed not to fight for the position o ...
,
Borgohain Borgohain (Ahom language: ''Chao Thao Lung'') was the second of the two original counselors in the Ahom kingdom. He was selected by the Ahom king from members of the Ahom nobility (''Satgharia Ahom''), who vowed not to fight for the position of Ah ...
and
Borpatrogohain Borpatragohain was the third of the three great ''Gohains'' (counsellors) in the Ahom kingdom. This position was created by Suhungmung Dihingia Raja in the year 1527 when Koncheng was made the first Borpatrogohain. The designation was borrowed fro ...
). The ''Boras'' and ''Saikias'' were appointed by their respective ''Phukans'' and ''Rajkhowas''. The ''paiks'' had the right to reject a ''Bora'' or a ''Saikia'' and request another officer of their choice. ''Kanri paiks'' could rise to become ''chamua paiks'' and then to higher ''paik'' officials. Appointments were made irrespective of the ''paiks religion or ethnicity.


Ahom justice

The Ahom justice system was also based on the ''Paik'' system. Each ''Paik'' official offered justice to the ''paiks'' and each appeal was heard by the next higher officer in the ''khel'' system. The system of appeals could go right up to the ''Nyayxodha Phukan''.


Challenges to the ''Paik'' system

The ''Paik'' system was a method by which the Ahom king obtained service from the people and also provided service back to the people. By the 17th century it had evolved into a robust system that gave the Ahom kingdom a resilience in the face of a long protracted war against the
Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
. But soon it met challenges. Over time, the nobles began to appropriate the services of ''kanri paik'', who as a ''likchou'' began to work for these high officials instead of the king. After the end of Ahom-Mughal conflicts, the Ahom kingdom extended the ''Paik'' system to the regions earlier held by the Mughals but where the royal service was now payable in cash, following the ''
pargana Pargana ( bn, পরগনা, , hi, परगना, ur, پرگنہ) or parganah, also spelt pergunnah during the time of the Sultanate period, Mughal times and British Raj, is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent and each ...
'' system that was left behind. The increased production of ''paiks'' and the growth of an internal market over time in the entire kingdom demanded a monetization of the economy, which the ''Paik'' system was unable to handle. This gave rise to the ''apaikan chamua'' a class of ''paik''s who were released from their ''khels'' and who paid a cash tax in lieu of the service to the king. The satras too attracted ''paiks'' who wanted to escape the compulsory service. The satras, in addition, came into competition with the Ahom kingdom by expanding into new social groups that the Ahom kingdom would have expanded into otherwise and providing an alternative economic production process. This conflict with the satras led to the
Moamoria rebellion The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) was the 18th century uprising in Ahom kingdom of present-day Assam that began as power struggle between the Moamorias (''Mataks''), the adherents of the Moamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This uprising s ...
which further weakened the Ahom kingdom.


Notes


References

* * * * * {{refend Social history of India Economic history of India Ahom kingdom