Taxation and The Jangama Massacre
In the first decade of his rule, Chikka Devaraja introduced various petty taxes that were mandatory for the peasants, but that his soldiers were exempted from. The unusually high taxes and the intrusive nature of his regime, created wide protests in the ryots which had the support of the Jangama priests in the Virasaiva monasteries. According to (Nagaraj 2003), a slogan of the protests was:
"Basavanna the Bull tills the forest land; Devendra gives the rains;
Why should we, the ones who grow crops through hard labor, pay taxes to the king?"
The king, resolving upon a "treacherous massacre," used the stratagem of inviting over 400 priests to a grand feast at the famous Shaivite center of Nanjanagudu, and upon its conclusion having them first receive gifts and then exit one at a time through a narrow lane, whereupon his royal wrestlers strangled each exiting priest. This "sanguinary measure" had the effect of stopping all protests to the new taxes. Around this time, 1687, Chikka Devaraja also made an agreement with Venkoji to purchase Bengaluru (which later became Bangalore city and Bangalore Rural district) for Rs. 3 lakhs.
Read more about this topic: Chikka Devaraja
Famous quotes containing the words taxation and/or massacre:
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