PARGANAS Meaning and
Definition
-
Parganas is a term that refers to a geographical and administrative unit commonly found in certain regions of South Asia, particularly in India. The word "parganas" has its roots in Persian, derived from the word "parganah," which translates to "district" or "province."
In traditional terms, a pargana is a territorial division within a larger administrative unit, such as a district or a sub-division. Parganas are typically composed of several villages or towns and are often governed by a local administrative authority known as a pargana head or pargana officer. These officers have the responsibility of overseeing the social, economic, and political affairs of the pargana, and may act as intermediaries between the region and higher levels of government.
Parganas have historically played an essential role in the land revenue system of India. The collection of land revenue is often attributed to a pargana, which requires the pargana officer to assess and collect taxes from the respective villages within the pargana.
In modern times, the term "parganas" is primarily associated with the Indian state of West Bengal. West Bengal is divided into several districts, and each district is further divided into multiple administrative subdivisions known as parganas. These parganas continue to have administrative, revenue collection, and judicial functions, although their powers and responsibilities may have evolved with changing administrative structures and systems.
Overall, parganas can be understood as territorial divisions within larger administrative units, commonly found in South Asia, known for their historical and administrative significance.
Etymology of PARGANAS
The word "parganas" has its etymology rooted in Persia. It originated from the Persian word "par", which means "thorough" or "complete", and "ghaneh", which means "village" or "hamlet". Thus, "parganas" essentially refers to a complete group of villages or a cluster of hamlets. The term was introduced to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal period and is commonly used in parts of India and Bangladesh to denote an administrative division or a group of villages governed under a single administrative head.
