Administrative Hierarchy in Rajput States

Central Administration

The Rajput state's administrative apparatus was structured around the ruler (Maharaja/Maharana), with the Diwan as the most powerful functionary.

Diwan (Prime Minister/Chief Revenue Administrator): Combined what modern governments divide between Chief Minister, Finance Minister, and Home Minister. In Marwar, the Diwan was sometimes a Rajput noble (e.g., Muhnot Nainsi, who served as Diwan under Jaswant Singh I), sometimes a Brahmin or Mahajan. The Diwan managed the Toshakhana (state treasury), oversaw jagir assignments, and received appeals from faujdars.

Musahib: Confidential adviser to the ruler, sometimes more influential than the Diwan — a court insider role without formal administrative designation.

Peshkar: Second-ranking revenue official who handled daily administrative correspondence and processed jagir muafi (exemption) applications.

Territorial Administration

Level	Title	Jurisdiction	Primary Functions
Province	Faujdar	Pargana/District	Military command, revenue collection, law & order
Sub-district	Hakim	Sub-pargana	Civil administration, local dispute resolution
Urban	Kotwal	Town/Market	Policing, weights & measures, market regulation
Village	Chaudhary	Village cluster	Headman, revenue liaison with state
Revenue	Patwari	Single village	Land records, crop measurement
Revenue	Girdawar	Circle (10-20 villages)	Supervised patwaris, field inspection

Source: Col. James Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1829–32, Vol. I); B.L. Bhadani, Peasants, Artisans and Entrepreneurs (1999)

Faujdar: The pargana-level officer combined military and revenue functions — the fusion that characterised Rajput administration. A faujdar commanded the local cavalry force, supervised revenue collection (often by sub-contracting to local mahajans), and reported to the Diwan. In Marwar, major parganas included Nagaur, Sojat, Merta, and Pali — each with its own faujdar.

Kotwal: The urban counterpart of the faujdar, specifically responsible for the qasba (market town) and capital city. The Kotwal's duties per Rajasthani administrative texts included:

• Maintaining peace and suppressing theft
• Regulating the haat (weekly rural market) and pansari (grocery) trade
• Enforcing standards for weights and measures (the pansari system)
• Collecting baajaar tax on market transactions
• Registering births, deaths, and major transactions in the town register

Patwari and Land Records: The Patwari maintained the Khasra (field register), Khatauni (cultivator register), and seasonal crop reports. Medieval Rajasthan's patwari system was more developed than is often acknowledged — Nainsi's Vigat was essentially a compilation of patwari records from across Marwar. British settlement operations built directly on this documentary infrastructure.

Dyodhi Administration: Specialised Palace Functionaries

The Rajput courts maintained numerous specialised administrative positions beyond the formal revenue hierarchy. Dyodhidars (gate-keepers/threshold-keepers) managed court access and protocol. Other specialised functionaries included:

• Khansamah: Household steward
• Bakshi: Paymaster for military forces
• Mir Bakhshi: Chief paymaster (Mughal-influenced title adopted in Rajput courts)
• Akhbarnawis: Court chronicler and intelligence reporter
• Thanedars: Police station heads in rural areas

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