The Traditional Maharashtrian Village:Gavgada, Resume and Reflections

This Paper purports to familiarise the interested reader with the contents of an important and neglected Marathi book 'Gavgada' written by T.N. Atre and published in 1915. The book primarily discusses the functioning of the balute system-the Maharashtrian variant of the Jajmani system-and delineates its economic, social and moral consequences. The woeful conditions of the farmers resulting from the depradations of various kinds of parasitic groups is the chief concern of Atre. Here his observations are summarised and comments on them offered. Atre 's insights can serve as a basis for constructing a full fledged critique of the economics of caste.