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diffused in the system and permits readily agreat diversity and freedom of life.’Jaswant Singh adds “Here we touch on thesecret of the difficulty.”Myson Weiner bluntly puts it ‘The absenceof analytical continuity among ancient(Indian) political theorists, the relativelysmall role of political theory in the densefabric of Hindu philosophical and religiouswritings, the historical break in this literaturecaused by the Muslim invasions, theintroduction of European political ideas andinstitutions in the 19 th century …. all suggestthe irrelevance of classical Hindu thought”(in defending India).Shri Jaswant Singh defines his field thus “Wethus have a set of criteria against which toexamine the entire range of questions.1) Does India at all possess the neededSECTION -6attributes?2) How did they evolve historically throughthe ages?3) How has the Indian civilizational endcultural ethos influenced them?4) How do we rate the existence andeffectiveness of Indian state?5) What are India’s own and acquiredmilitary concepts? - in brief India’s militaryculture.6) In the background of Defending India, liethe questions about history, its recording,about geography and territoriality.7) The events of the British period and IndianMilitary revolution.8) The events of the period of Independencetransforming social, politcal and civilmilitaryrelations and what these did to thedevelopment of a suitable strategic culture.9) Internally and externally, what were thestrategic challenges to an independent Indiaand did the political - administrative-militaryleadership of this period 1947-97 anticipate,MANSABDARS AND SILLEDARSThe Moghul Army (Basically anIndian Army) was large. How tocommand and control such aforce? The heart of it was the‘mansabdar’ system. This was both arecognition of social standing and anobligation when called to provide acertain specified number of troopsparticularly for the cavalry and a rightto draw from the imperial treasury. Thenumber of men commanded rangedfrom twenty upwards.Mansab really means a rank and whatthe Mughals did was to recognize theexisting Rajput system of class andtribal levies, transform and adopt themand also give it a monetary ingredientplus lend a certain imperial socialcachet.A commander of cavalry would oftenbring with him his own retainers,mounted at his expense, thoughsometimes the trooper provided armsand equipment for himself. A manbringing such a troop on his own horseswas a silledar.(“Defending India” by Jaswant Singh-Mac Millan India Ltd. Bangalore1999)SAMARTHA BHARATA 305