Gazidar

A Gazidar was a landholder in Bengal, primarily during the Mughal and British periods. The term generally referred to a person who held a substantial amount of land, although the exact size and nature of the holding could vary. The title often implied a degree of local authority and influence. Gazidars were typically responsible for collecting revenue from the cultivators within their landholding and remitting it to the central authority, be it the Mughal administration or later, the British East India Company.

The position of a Gazidar was often hereditary, passing down through families. While not considered royalty or part of the formal Mughal nobility (the mansabdars), Gazidars occupied a significant social and economic position in rural Bengal. Their influence stemmed from their land ownership and their role in revenue collection. They acted as intermediaries between the state and the peasantry.

The status and power of Gazidars were often impacted by changes in land revenue policies implemented by the British. Permanent Settlement, for example, significantly altered the landholding patterns and the relationship between the Zamindars (a higher-level landholder), Gazidars, and the actual cultivators. The term's usage diminished over time as the traditional landholding systems were replaced by more modern forms of ownership and administration.