Question

The ______ were most powerful in North Bengal, although rich peasants and village headmen were emerging as commanding figures in the countryside in other parts of Bengal as well.

विकल्प

• Zamindars

• Jotedars

• Taluqdars

• Ryots

Answer 1

The jotedars were most powerful in North Bengal, although rich peasants and village headmen were emerging as commanding figures in the countryside in other parts of Bengal as well.

Explanation:

1. The jotedars were wealthy landholders or rich peasants who became the most powerful group in North Bengal during the Mughal and early colonial periods.
2. They owned large plots of land, controlled local peasants (ryots), and often acted as village leaders.
3. In contrast to zamindars, who were intermediaries under the state, jotedars held direct power in the rural countryside, influencing both the economy and local politics.