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Question

Vetti tax that is mentioned in the inscriptions of the Chola dynasty was taken in _________  form.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2022 Tier-II (Paper 2 JSO) Previous Year Paper (04-Mar-2023)
The correct answer is

Forced labour

Understanding the Chola Dynasty and the Vetti Tax

The Chola dynasty was a powerful kingdom in South India known for its extensive administration and numerous inscriptions which provide valuable information about their society and economy. These inscriptions often detail the types of taxes collected by the state.

What was Vetti Tax in the Chola Period?

One of the taxes mentioned in the inscriptions of the Chola dynasty is the Vetti tax. Historical records, particularly the detailed stone inscriptions from the Chola era, indicate the nature of this tax.

The Vetti tax was not collected in the form of cash, crops, or land revenue. Instead, it was a demand for labour without payment, essentially forced labour, that individuals had to provide to the state. This labour could be used for various public works, administrative tasks, or other requirements of the Chola rulers.

  • Vetti was a compulsory contribution.
  • It involved physical labour or service.
  • No wages were paid for the work rendered under Vetti.
  • It is clearly documented in Chola inscriptions as distinct from taxes paid in kind (like grain) or cash.

Vetti Tax vs. Other Forms of Taxation

During the Chola period, various taxes were levied. Land revenue (known by names like 'kadumai' or 'kadamai') was a primary source of income and was often collected in kind (crops) or sometimes in cash. However, Vetti was unique because it was a service obligation rather than a payment of wealth or produce.

Therefore, based on the evidence from Chola inscriptions, the Vetti tax specifically refers to labour exacted by the state without compensation.

Summary of Vetti Tax Form

In summary, the inscriptions of the Chola dynasty describe Vetti as a tax taken in the form of forced labour. This was a non-monetary contribution to the state.

Tax Type Form of Collection Period
Vetti Forced Labour Chola Dynasty

Revision Table: Chola Dynasty Vetti Tax

Term Description
Vetti Tax A tax in the form of forced labour during the Chola dynasty, as documented in inscriptions.
Chola Inscriptions Historical records carved on stone or copper, providing details about the administration, economy, and society of the Chola kingdom.
Forced Labour Work exacted from individuals by the state without payment.

Additional Information: Chola Period Taxation

The Chola administration had a sophisticated system of revenue collection. Besides Vetti (forced labour) and land revenue, other taxes included tolls, taxes on professions, house tax, and taxes on markets. The efficiency of this tax system contributed significantly to the wealth and power of the Chola empire, funding large temples, irrigation projects, and military campaigns. Inscriptions are the primary source materials that allow historians to understand these economic practices in detail.

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Similar Questions

  1. Thanjavur was the capital of which dynasty?

  2. Rajendra I was the son of?

  3. Big landlords or warrior chiefs in the seventh century were acknowledged as ________ by the existing kings

  4. Which of the following territories to the south and north were made part of the Chola kingdom by the successors of the ruler Vijayalaya?

  5. Who among the following belonged to the ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the Kaveri delta from the Muttaraiyar in the middle of the ninth centuary?

  6. Who among the following Chola emperors constructed the grand temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram?

  7. Rajaraja I and Rajendra I belonged to the ________ dynasty.

  8. According to the categories of land mentioned in the Chola inscriptions _________ was known as the land gifted to temples?

  9. Puhar or Kaveripattinam, was the port of which of the following dynasty?

  10. Which of the following was a fishing colony that was used as a port for trading with the Romans and the Greco-Romans in ancient India?


Important Questions from Chola Empire Cheras Pandyas

  1. Which one of the following Chola Rulers made conquest in Sumatra and Malaya?

  2. Which Chola ruler was popularly called ‘Victor of the Ganges’?

  3. Which Chola ruler built the Brihadeshwara Temple at Tanjore?

  4. Arrange the following in chronological order :

    1.Senkuttuvan
    2.Emayavaramban
    3.Kanaikal Irumporai
    4.Kuttuvan Cheral
  5. In Chola kingdom the revenue department was called as

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