April 6, 2024
Credit: Google Images
Credit: Google Images
Paik system was a compulsory labour service system of Ahom Kingdom. Ahom rulers utilize the available human resources for the Kingdom during peace and wartime.
Credit: Google Images
It was introduced by Momai Tamuli Barbarua under the patronage of Pratap Singha. Every adult between the age of 16 and 50 years was registered as a paik.
Credit: Google Images
These paiks had to render both civil duties such as road building, arrow making, etc, and military service for the kingdom during wartime.
Credit: Google Images
Paiks were organised into a group of four which is called Got, these numbers were later reduced to 3 during the time of Rajeshwar Singha.
Credit: Google Images
The paiks in a got render services to the state on rotation wise, each paik serving for a period of three months in a year.
Credit: Google Images
During the service period of three months of a paik, his domestic affairs had to be looked after by the remaining 3 paiks of that got from which the serving paik belonged.
Credit: Google Images
In an emergency or wartime, three paiks from a got may be asked to render service at a time.
Credit: Google Images
Each paiks known as mul, Dewal, and Tewal in return for his service got 2 puras(4 bighas) of fertile land(called ga-mati) from the King.