Consider the complex feudal land tenure system in medieval Kerala: 1. The 'Janmam' system vested absolute ownership of land in the hands of Janmis (mostly temples and upper-caste landlords), while actual cultivation was carried out by tenants under 'Kanam' or 'Verumpattam' leases. 2. The Kunjali Marakkars were hereditary feudal landlords who controlled the spice hills of Wayanad. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Janmam system vested absolute land ownership in upper-caste landlords and temples, while tenants cultivated the holdings through lease arrangements, making the first statement historically accurate. The second statement is incorrect because Kunjali Marakkars served as hereditary naval commanders for the Zamorin of Calicut rather than feudal landlords in Wayanad. This agrarian hierarchy shaped social relations and land tenures in traditional Kerala society.