Mahakumbh: The evolving legacy of pilgrim taxes from Mughal tax to modern day fee

kenneth.john@partner.htlive.com A receipt or ‘Chavni Raseed’ of tax deposited by a teerth purohit in the office of Prayagraj Mela Authority. Earlier, the Mughal kings charged ‘Yatri Kar’ from pilgrims entering the mela area through a ‘toll-tax’ booth at the entrance to Sangam. According to teerth purohit and president of Prayagwal Sabha, Pandit Rajendra Paliwal, Mughal kings used to charge ‘Yatri Kar’ from pilgrims arriving at the mela at Sangam way back in the 16th and 17th centuries. However, Mughal king Akbar had abolished the ‘Yatri Kar’ as an administrative measure to please the Rajputs after marrying Jodha Bai, according to eminent historian and former head of the department of Medieval and Modern History at Allahabad University, Prof Yogeshwar Tiwari. Currently, the rate of ‘Chavni Kar’ or tax paid by every teerth purohit is ₹5,000 per bigha of land located in the prime area between Jhunsi bridge and Sangam, while the tax for a bigha of land from Jhunsi bridge towards Phaphamau is ₹750, as this area is farther from Sangam and pilgrims have to walk a significant distance to reach Sangam every day.