[Solved] Medieval Economic Terms: Aurang, Banian, Mirasidar

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Aurang: In-charge of treasury of the State
2. Banian: Indian agent of the East India Company
3. Mirasidar: Designated payer to the State Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

[UPSC CSE Pre 2020]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Understanding the economic vocabulary of Medieval and Early Modern India is crucial to grasping the transition from local trade to the colonial economy. These terms represent various roles in trade, storage, and land ownership.

Authentic Source Evidence

An Aurang is a Persian term for a warehouse where goods are stored before sale. Banians were influential Indian merchants who served as intermediaries or agents for European trading companies. Mirasidars were recognized as hereditary landowners and designated revenue payers under systems like Ryotwari.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1 (Pair 1): Incorrect. An 'Aurang' is a place (warehouse/workshop), not a person or treasury official.

Logic 2 (Pair 2): Correct. Banians were critical 'middle-men' who understood local markets and helped the East India Company conduct business.

Logic 3 (Pair 3): Correct. Mirasidars held hereditary rights to land and were the primary contact point for the state to collect land revenue.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Why were 'Banians' essential for European merchants?"

They bridge the gap between foreign traders and local producers, providing capital, market knowledge, and translation services.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Terminologies like Mirasidar reflect the shift from communal land use to individual ownership and state-monitored revenue collection."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Analysing authentic UPSC CSE Preprevious year questions is non-negotiable for serious aspirants. Thoroughly decoding past exam trends related to Medieval and Colonial Economic Systems helps you understand the examiner's mindset. Mastering specific entities like Aurang and Banian builds the analytical intuition needed to clear the exam. Practice Previous Year Questions here →

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:1. Aurang: In-charge of treasury of the State2. Banian: Indian agent of the East India Company3. Mirasidar: Designated payer to the State Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?