Zemindar

Zemindar (alternative spelling zamindar) means landowner. Zameen = Land (urdu word) dar = owner From Hobson Jobson One holding land on which he pays revenue to the government direct and not to any intermediate superior. In Bengal proper the zemindars hold generally considerable tracts of land, on a permanent settlement of the amount to be paid to the Government. Zemindars then leased out land to farmers and made a living.

Contributed to the India list by Douglas & Audrey Augier, Dec. 16 1997