DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

9.7] THE ESSENTIAL VILLAGE CRAFTSMEN 337
This inevitable concomitant of a falling density of commodity
production left unsolved the fundamental technical problems of the
village. The main labour supply, that of cultivators, was assured. The
very origin of the kunabi cultivators from tribesmen, and their formation
into new caste-groups prevented the mastery of finer technique. Very
few could, because of caste, skin cattle, tan the hides, or work in
leather, all low occupations. Some tribal people might become
basket-makers, without learning how to weave cloth or spin yarn. On
the other hand, not every village could support a whole guild of
blacksmiths, leather-workers, or basket-weavers. The problem of
indispensable techniques was critical, and unless solved, meant either
collapse of the village or change to commodity production.
The most essential village craftsmen do not include the weaver or
tailor,’as the demand for clothing was low because of the climate and
style of dress, while cotton was not universally grown. The first among
the necessary workmen fromthe village carpenter; correspondingly we
find mention of a special carpenter’s plot (outside the common village
cultivation and pasture) in the Gupta period. Dharasena II of Valabhi
(near Bhavnagar) in A. D.571-2 mentions such a plot
(vardhaki’pratyaya) in granting small fields to a brahmin (Fleet
38). The Gunaighar plates (IHQ. 6.45-60) of Vainya-gupta in A. D. 506
show the same type of plot (Visnu-vardkaki-ksetrat ca) at the other end
of Gupta territory, whence its universality may be deduced. These
special artisans were assigned small plots of their own to cultivate. This
would not suffice as inducement for plying the craft, so emoluments
and perquisites were added that persist in various forms to the present
day in out-of-the-way villages (BJ. 3.448-9 ; NDQ. 74-80). The whole
group of specialists are known as the alutedar-balutedar in
Maharashtra. The carpenter, for example, received about 2 per cent of
each peasant’s yield, plus -one to eight pounds of grain ‘for seed’; against
this, he kept the houses, farm implements — the plough being all of
wood except the iron share — and well-frames in repair. For new
constructions, he received additional fees. The blacksmith’s share was
about 1.75 per cent, one to three Bounds ‘seed’: he kept the iron portion
of the implements in order ; for new shares, sickles, knives, he had to be