EdmundWyrick821 at 15:26, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T15:26:45Z

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{{Short description|Ruling class in the former Kingdom of Sikkim}}
'''Kazis and Thikadars of Sikkim''', also known as '''Ilakadars''', were the hereditary [[Feudalism|feudal lords]] and the [[ruling class]] in former [[Kingdom of Sikkim]]. They had administrative and judicial powers within their respective land estates. This system existed since the establishment of the [[Chogyal|Namgyal dynasty]] and was further institutionalised under the period of [[British people|British]] influence in Sikkim.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Risley|first=H. h|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.107811|title=Gazetteer Of Sikkim|date=1894}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bot/pdf/bot_2005_01_03.pdf|title=Ritual and identity in the diaspora: the Newars in Sikkim| author=Shrestha, Bal Gopal| journal=Bulletin of Tibetology|volume=41|number=1|pages=25–54|year=2005}}</ref>

==History==
[[Chogyal of Sikkim|Chogyal]] [[Phuntsog Namgyal]] ({{reign|1642|1670}}) appointed 12 ''Kalons'' or ministers from the [[Bhutia]] community and split his kingdom into 12 ''Dzongs'' or administrative units, which each contained a fort. Individual Dzongs were headed by a ''Dzonga'' drawn from amongst the [[Lepcha people|Lepchas]]. The [[Limbu people|Limbu]] chiefs or the [[Limbu people|Subbas]] were also given full autonomy of their districts under the King.{{sfn|Chemjong|2014|loc=chapter 5, Kirat Kings of Namgyal Dynasty}}

After contact with the British, the agrarian Sikkimese society witnessed a drastic change in land use and settlement pattern. The British encouraged migration of Nepalese to Sikkim mainly for agriculture and labour. The two Newar trade families of Lachhimidas Pradhan and Chandrabir Maskey from princely estates of Kathmandu were given land as a contract or ‘’thika’’. These new landlords hence came to be known as Newar Thikadars.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.internationaljournalcorner.com/index.php/theijhss/article/viewFile/139173/97708}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://14.139.211.59/bitstream/123456789/1239/10/10_chapter_04.pdf}}</ref>

In 1867, [[Newar]] trader Lachhimidas Pradhan was the first Nepalese to be given territories in East and South Sikkim by Khangsa Dewan and Phudong Lama by issuing a ''Sanad''(ordinance). Lachhimidas and his brother Chandrabir Pradhan(Kasaju) divided the areas into number of estates to be distributed within the members of the family. During this period another Newar family led by Chandrabir Maskey settled in Sadam, South Sikkim. In the same year an agreement was reached between the two families where Chandrabir Maskey was given the Pendam, Temi, Regu, Pakyong and Chotta Pathing estates. Lachhimidas Pradhan and his family took control of the estate bordering Majitar to Kaleej Khola and Barmick in South Sikkim. His brother Chandrabir Pradhan(Kasaju) was given Rhenock, Mamring, Pache Khani, and Taja along with a joint supervision of Dilding and parts of Pendam. ''Ilakhas'' or estates of Sadam, Pachekhani, Dikling and parts of Pendam were put under joint supervision of both the families.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://14.139.211.59/bitstream/123456789/1239/13/13_appendix.pdf|title= Role of Llu.chimadas Pradhan and his family for the socio- economic development of Sikkim}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sikkimproject.org/rhenock-the-forgotten-black-hill/|title=Rhenock: The Forgotten Black Hill — Sikkim Project |date=18 February 2022 }}</ref>

[[List of political officers in the Kingdom of Sikkim|British Political Officer to Sikkim]] [[John Claude White]] introduced several administrative changes from 1888 onwards until in 1890, land estates was created with 70 ''Elakhas'' given to various landlord on lease. 36 estates were divided among different landlords of which 21 were Kazis, 6 Bhutias, 8 Lepchas, 10 Nepalese and 1 plainsman. All [[Taksaris of Sikkim]] were made Thikadars.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://14.139.211.59/bitstream/123456789/1239/13/13_appendix.pdf|title= Role of Llu.chimadas Pradhan and his family for the socio- economic development of Sikkim}}</ref> Besides Kazis and Thikadars, [[Lama]]s also held land as Lords<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/1446|author=Tran, Hong|title="Chogyal's Sikkim: Tax, Land & Clan Politics" (2012). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 1446|journal=Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection|date=2012
}}</ref>

By the end of nineteenth century lands of Sikkim were leased as gifts to many ''Kazis'' and ''Thikadars'' who in turn leased sub-plots to peasants at high rents. ''Mandals'' (headmen) and ''Karbaris'' (assistants to the mandals) were employed by the Kazis and Thikadars as rent collectors and dispute mediators. Out of Sikkim's 104 revenue estates, 61 were leased to Kazis and thikadars for fixed sums, five were given to monasteries and fifteen retained by the Chogyal for his private use.<ref>
{{cite book |title=Area handbook for Nepal (with Sikkim and Bhutan) |author1=George L. Harris |author2=Jackson A Giddens |author3=Thomas E. Lux |author4=Frederica Muhlenberg |author5=Francis Chadwick Rintz |author6=Harvey H. Smith |publisher=Foreign Areas Studies Division, [[The American University]] on behalf of the [[US Army]] |year=1964 |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://archive.org/details/areahandbookforn00amer |page=368}}
</ref>{{sfn|Arora|2008|page=4}}

In 1906, an order from the [[State Council (Sikkim)|State Council]] gave the feudal landlords permanent rights to their respective estates.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

===Structure===

Sikkim was divided into 90 estates or ''Ilakhas''. Kazis were the Bhutia-Lepcha aristocracy while the Thikadars were the Nepali aristocracy. Each Kazi or Thikadar had several ''Mandals'' under them whose chief role was collection of taxes from people. The Mandals were further assisted by ''Baidar'' or ''Kamdari''. The ruling Kazis and Thikadars were also part of Sikkim's former legislature and governing body, the [[State Council (Sikkim)|State Council]].<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9789048501243-006/pdf|doi=10.1515/9789048501243-006 |chapter=2. Sikkim: Imperial Stepping-stone to Tibet |title=Their Footprints Remain |year=2008 |pages=85–114 |isbn=9789048501243 }}</ref>

==Residence==
Sikkimese feudal landlords resided with their families in a residence known as a ''Dzong'' or a ''Kothi'' (bungalow), which was accompanied with a ''Kuchcheri'' (court) that had jurisdiction over their respective land estate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turukkothiheritage.com/pages/about.html|title= Turuk Kothi}}</ref>

==Functions==
After [[British people|British]] introduced changes in administration of Sikkim in 1890, the role of Kazis and Thikadars largely replaced ''Dzongpens''(District officers) as main agents of the government at regional level. They could collect taxes in the form of food grains or money under three types of tenancy systems: ''Adiya'', ''Kutiya,'' and ''Mashikotta''. The Sikkimese feudal landlords could also serve as "Forest Officers" to implement laws related to forests and were given a proportion of revenue collected from forest area of his estate.<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Himalayan Anthropology: The Indo-Tibetan Interface|author=Fisher, J.F.|date=1978|publisher=De Gruyter|isbn=9783110806496|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m8Eq6Obu6oYC&pg=PA216|page=216|access-date=2016-01-25}}</ref>

==Rank within nobility==

Kazis mostly from [[Lepcha people|Lepcha]] and Bhutia communities were influential members of State Council of Sikkim. Thikadars who were granted lease landlordships were mostly from the Nepali [[Newar]]s and enjoyed a position just below the Kazis. Later, Kazis and Thikadars were more or less given equal status as the institution evolved in Sikkim. British granted noble titles like [[Rai (title)|Rai Sahib]] to many Kazis and Thikadars.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LvuOKCIICMEC| title=Sikkim: Society, Polity, Economy, Environment | isbn=9788173870132 | last1=Lama | first1=Mahendra P. | year=1994 | publisher=Indus }}</ref>

==Judicial powers==
Adda Courts of the Kazis, Thikadars and Lamas were given judicial powers in 1909 through a resolution by State Council. These courts could try civil matters up to Rupees 500. The feudal landlords of Sikkim could punish peasants with then prevalent system of forced labour practices such as [[Kalo Bhari]], [[Jharlangi]] and Kurwa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introduction and Background of the High Court of Sikkim |url=https://ecommitteesci.gov.in/project/introduction-and-background-of-the-high-court-of-sikkim/ |access-date=11 December 2025 |website=e-Committee, Supreme Court of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhattacharyya |first=Pranab Kumar |url=https://archive.org/details/aspectofcultural0000bhat/mode/2up |title=Aspect of Cultural History of Sikkim: Studies in Coinage |publisher=K. P. Bagchi |year=1984 |location=Calcutta}}</ref>

==Abolishment==
This system was abolished in 1951 after Land Reform Programme was initiated by the Sikkim government.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nakane |first=Chie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAaVP8lx1CcC&pg=PA35 |title=A Study of Plural Societies in Sikkim: Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalee |date=1963 |publisher=Department of the Army |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Arora |first=Vibha |title=Commodities of Empire: Working Paper No.9 |publisher=[[Open University]] |year=2008 }}
* {{Cite book
| last = Bareh
| first = Hamlet
| year = 2001
| title = Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim
| chapter = Introduction
| publisher = Mittal Publications
| isbn = 978-81-7099-794-8
| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jrr7HPr8NAQC
| access-date =19 June 2011
}}
* {{citation |last=Chemjong |first=Iman Singh |author-link=Iman Xin Chemjong |others=Narrator: Amar Nembang |title=Kirat History and Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_7M9AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT85 |year=2014 |publisher=Kirat Yakthung Chumlung |id=GGKEY:PP03Y9PZZBD |asin=B00JH8W6HQ}}
* {{Cite book | title = Kirat History and Culture: All about south asian Monoglians | last = Chumlung | first = Yakthung | year = 2014 |asin = B00JH8W6HQ}}
{{Refend}}

[[Category:Kingdom of Sikkim]]
[[Category:Indian landlords]]
[[Category:Indian feudalism]]
[[Category:Titles in India]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]

Kazis and Thikadars of Sikkim - Revision history

EdmundWyrick821 at 15:26, 19 March 2026