Mr. Hodgson's Description of the Village of Pudu-vayal. ']'] 



To Subramaniya Gurcal, a priest Canis 1^ 



To ten other Brahmins, all named, but unnecessary to 



specify in detail 9J-| 



lli^ 



Appropriated by custom 26^^ 



Total cultivated land, of which the revenue has been appro-') 



priated by custom or by grant ,j ^ 'is 



The village occupants retain possession of and cultivate these Syi^ ca- 

 nis, so that the grantees of these lands receive no more than the revenue 

 which would have been payable by custom to the sovereign, supposing the 

 land revenue had not been appropriated as described. The grantees have 

 not possession of the land ; and not one of the ten Brahmans alluded to as 

 holding grants of land, resides in the village or cidtivates the land of his 

 grant. They send or go annually for the government revenue, which is 

 paid to them in the same way as it would have been paid to the sovereign 

 had no such transfer of his rights been made ; but, with a view to keep 

 on good terms with the cultivators of their grants, the grantees generally 

 take less than the sovereign would take, that is, less than half the produce 

 of the land. It is thus obviously advantageous to cultivators to cultivate 

 the land of which the revenue has been assigned for the support of religious, 

 municipal, or other institutions. 



The revenue payable to the sovereign from this village is, by custom, a 

 defined portion of the gross produce from all land cultivated, and not 

 otherwise appropriated by grant or by custom. In seasons of drought there 

 may be little or no revenue, even in grain. In seasons of abundant pro- 

 duce and low price, there may be a large grain revenue and a small money 

 revenue. There is, then, a fluctuation of the amount of revenue, but no 

 fluctuation in the rates of division between the cultivator and sovereign. 

 Previously to a division of the produce of the land between the sovereign 

 and the cultivators, a portion, defined by custom, is deducted for certain 

 defined uses, such as the endowment of the district and village temples, 

 fees of village officers, &c., amounting to about ten per cent, of the 

 gross produce. The cultivators, who have the privilege of cultivating 

 the lands to the exclusion of all other persons, are by custom entitled 

 to retain 42^ per cent, of the produce which remains after the deduction 

 above referred to, and are bound to pay 57J, per cent, as revenue. 



