With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) Paragana-Sarkar-Suba
(b) Sarkar-Paragana-Suba
(c) Suba-Sarkar-Paragana
(d) Paragana-Suba-Sarkar
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
- The Mughal Empire was primarily a military power, where the emperor’s commands held the force of law. The administrative structure of the empire was highly centralized, a viewpoint shared by historians such as Irfan Habib and Athar Ali.
- The empire was divided into provinces known as Suba. Each Suba was further divided into Sarkar, and each Sarkar was divided into smaller administrative units known as Parganas. The Parganas, in turn, contained numerous villages under their jurisdiction.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.