Daroga

Darogas (also spelled darogha or daroghah) were police officials in the Mughal Empire and the British Raj.^[1] In the Mughal Empire, a daroga was superintendent of the "slaves" of a Mughal monarch.^[2]

Caste and duties

Lindsey Harlan identified the darogas with the Ravana Rajputs.^[3]

Ramya Sreenivasan stated that the male children born from "the illegitimate union of Rajputs and their inferiors" were referred to as daroga and gola, while the female children born from such union were referred to as darogi and goli.^[4]

Duties

The darogas served in the armies of Kachhwahas and Mughals; and in accordance with the duties performed by them, the darogas were given various titles like daroga-i-sutarkhana, daroga-i-topkhana, and daroga-i-baroodkhana.^[5]

Daroghas answered to district magistrates who were in charge of areas at least 100 square miles (26,000 ha; 64,000 acres); because the magistrates were responsible for such a large area, the daroghas were normally the most powerful local authorities.^[6] In some cases, they were in charge of factories.^[7] The darogas also had command over the police in rural areas.^[8]

Female daroga

The women assigned to the administration of the imperial zenana were also given the title of darogha. The position was appointed by the emperor himself, and marked a great honor for the woman and her family.^[9] Consequently, the women given these posts were chosen because they were well brought up, educated and from respectable families.^[10] Asmat Banu Begam, the mother of Empress Nur Jahan, had at one time acted in this role.^[11] Female daroghas were tasked with maintaining court etiquette and keeping the peace within the zenana.^[12]

References

1. Shah Mahmoud Hanifi (2011). Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier. Stanford University Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-8047-7411-6.
2. Sezgin, Fuat; Amawi, Mazin; Ehrig-Eggert, Carl; Neubauer, Eckhard (1997). Mughal India According to European Travel Accounts: Texts and Studies, Volume 78 (reprint ed.). Frankfurt, Germany: Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. LCCN 2002487182. p. 176: ...Daroga or Superintendent of the Emperor's slaves...
3. Harlan, Lindsey (2018) [First published 1992]. "Satimata Tradition: The Transformative Process". Religion and Rajput Women: The Ethic of Protection in Contemporary Narratives. University of California Press. pp. 112–153. ISBN 978-0520301757. LCCN 91002389. OCLC 1031457813. p. 145: They would be Darogas (also called Ravana Rajputs), who constitute an endogamous caste of palace servants.
4. Sreenivasan, Ramya (2006). "Drudges, Dancing Girls, Concubines: Female Slaves in Rajput Polity, 1500–1850". In Chatterjee, Indrani; Eaton, Richard M. (eds.). Slavery and South Asian History. Bloomington, USA: Indiana University Press. pp. 136–161. ISBN 978-0253116710. LCCN 2006008098. OCLC 191950586. p. 144: More derogatory terms included gola (fem. goli) and daroga (fem. darogi), each suggesting descent from the illegitimate union of Rajputs and their "inferiors".
5. "Volume 22". Indica. India: Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. 1985. ISSN 0019-686X. LCCN sa66002480. pp. 143–144: The camel corps and camel gun was a very useful war innovation in the deserts of Rajasthan in general and Jaipur in particular. The camel corps was looked after by a separate department known as Sutar-Khana. The daroga-i-sutarkhana headed this department under the direct control of the State bakhshi and assisted by a mushrif, who maintained the records of expenditure and managed the other requirements of the corps. [..] This department used to cast cannon and was headed by a daroga. The Kachhwaha rulers and their artillery always remained in contact with the Mughal army. Therefore, their influence was natural. That is why the posts and designations in Kachhwaha artillery were similar to those of the Mughals. The department was headed by the daroga-i-topkhana who was assisted by the amir, mushrif, potedar, topchi, golandaj, musketeers, barkandaj and blacksmith. These officers were also attached to the department of ordnance which was known as Mahakma Atish and Baroodkhana. It was the duty of the daroga-i-baroodkhana to arrange necessary materials like lead, flax bags, salt-petre, glass and palitas for the manufacturing of gunpowder in the state. The Kachhwaha rulers used to give salary in cash to their topchi. The local soldiers were offered land; most of the musketeers were foreigners. But the officers' class was more among them. The British also succeeded in getting jobs in the Kachhwaha artillery with the rising influence of the British over Rajputana and came to be known as Firangis. The cannon which were used by the army can be classified as heavy and light artillery.
6. Louis A. Knafla (2002). Crime, Gender, and Sexuality in Criminal Prosecutions. Vol. 17. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 113. ISBN 0-313-31013-0.
7. Mohibbul Hasan (2005). Waqai-i manazil-i Rum: Tipu Sultan's mission to Constantinople. Aakar Books. p. 14. ISBN 81-87879-56-4.
8. Sen, S. P., ed. (1970). "Volume 9". The Quarterly Review of Historical Studies. Kolkata, India: Institute of Historical Studies. ISSN 0033-5800. LCCN sa63003439. p. 95: The rural police were subject to the orders of the Daroga...
9. Lal, K.S. (1988). The Mughal Harem. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan. p. 52. ISBN 8185179034.
10. Mukherjee, Soma (2001). Royal Mughal Ladies and their Contributions. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. p. 37. ISBN 8121207606.
11. Jahangir, Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (1974). The Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri: or memoirs of Jahangir. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications. p. 216. OCLC 83636859.
12. Abu'l Fazl Ibn-Mubarak (1977). D.C, Phillot (ed.). The Ain-i-Akbari. H. Blochman, tr. New Delhi: Munishram Manoharlal. pp. 45–47. OCLC 631607437.