With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the followin

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Question

With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: A — It was considered a source of income for the State, a sort of tax paid by the peopleStep-by-step Solution:Vishti refers to forced or unpaid labour extracted from the population, particularly common during the Gupta period (3rd–6th centuries CE). It was a form of labour service owed to the state.Key features of Vishti during the Gupta period: (1) It was treated as a form of tax — Vishti is mentioned alongside taxes in land grant inscriptions (e.g., copper plate inscriptions from Gupta rulers), suggesting it was considered a source of income for the state rather than a punitive measure. It was a regular obligation, like a tax paid in labour rather than in money or produce. (2) It became more common during 300–600 CE than in earlier periods. (3) Vishti was imposed on various categories of people — including merchants, artisans, and cultivators — as part of their obligations to the state. (4) Fa Xian (Chinese pilgrim who visited India around 405 CE during Chandragupta II's reign) noted that the people were not oppressed by corvée labour — suggesting Vishti existed but was not excessively burdensome in the Gupta heartland.Why other options are incorrect:Option B (Absent in MP and Kathiawar): Vishti was prevalent across the Gupta Empire — historical records from land grants across different regions mention Vishti obligations. It was NOT totally absent in any particular region.Option C (Forced labourers entitled to weekly wages): Vishti was by definition unpaid/forced labour — labourers were NOT entitled to wages (weekly or otherwise). That would negate the very concept of forced labour as a tax.Option D (Eldest son sent as labourer): Historical records do not indicate that specifically the eldest son was the one sent for Vishti service — this specific rule is not documented.Key Concept: Vishti (forced/corvée labour) in Indian history: Mentioned in Arthashastra (Kautilya); common in Gupta period; continued in subsequent medieval period; often imposed for state construction projects, military logistics, and agricultural work on state lands. The Chinese pilgrim Fa Xian's accounts of Gupta India provide valuable insights into social conditions — he noted relatively mild governance and absence of oppressive corvée in the Gupta heartland.

With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

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With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

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