Consider the following revenue administration terms used during the Mughal Empire: 1. Polaj land was cultivated annually for every harvest and never left fallow. 2. Parauti land was left fallow for a year or two to recover its natural fertility. 3. Banjar land was fertile land cultivated continuously without interruption. Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched because Polaj represented prime land cultivated every harvest, while Parauti was temporary fallow land recovering nutrients. Pair 3 is incorrect because Banjar land was barren or wasteland that required several years of recovery before cultivation, making it the least taxed category. Akbar's land revenue system, formulated by Raja Todar Mal, classified land meticulously based on fertility and cultivation frequency. Systematic assessment ensured predictable state revenues.