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Finally, after years of trouble that the Jamma Bane landholders in Kodagu have been facing, the Karnataka Government has asked the district administration in Kodagu to conduct a survey of Jamma Bane land in the district.
Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda who was in the district recently directed the district administration to initiate a survey of Jamma Bane land. The survey, pending for many decades, is crucial for Jamma Bane landholders who require a pahani (RTC). In this regard, the authorities must take necessary steps to facilitate the survey, he emphasized.
What is Jamma Land?
The term "Jamma" originates from the Sanskrit word "Janma," signifying "hereditary by birth." Sir J. B. Lyall, a British authority on tenures in Coorg, determined that the origin of Jamma dates back to a military tenure where individuals held land by paying half the assessment as compensation for military service.
Who granted Jamma Land?
The allocation of Jamma land was primarily executed through sannads, predominantly by the Coorg Rajas (1600 AD to 1834 AD) and, to a lesser extent, by the British until 1895. These grants were bestowed upon various local communities, including Kodavas, Amma-Kodavas, Heggades, Airis, Koyavas, Moplas, and Gaudas. Jamma-holders bore the responsibility of responding to external threats or addressing internal disturbances, often being deployed as both guardians of the treasury and defenders against external aggression.
Did Jamma land mentioned in the land record?
The land tenure system before 1812 lacks clarity due to the absence of authentic records. The initial reliable revenue records, compiled by Lingaraja and Chikkaveeraraja between 1812 and 1824, shed light on the subject. Jamma lands comprised both wetlands for paddy cultivation and adjacent highlands known as Bane land. Initially utilized for cattle grazing and exempt from assessments, these Bane lands have since been transformed into coffee estates.
What are the issues Jamma land owners are facing ?
The indigenous people of Kodagu have consistently faced challenges from successive Karnataka governments regarding the 'ownership' of Jamma lands, the primary land tenure in the district.
Due to the absence of RTCs for Jamma Bane landholders, they have been unable to secure loans from banks and avail themselves of government facilities. It is imperative that individuals involved in farming receive their RTCs. Consequently, the Minister emphatically instructed the officers to undertake the survey work without delay.
Why is Jamma land in the name of the head of the clan (Pattedara)?
Agriculture on Jamma Bane land involves approximately 25,000 individuals in Kodagu. While the land is registered in the name of one person within the landholder's family, other family members also require RTCs. Therefore, the Minister asserted that the survey of these lands is crucial.
For generations, the local residents centered their lives around cultivating Jamma lands. These lands, integral to their existence, couldn't be transferred as there were no provisions for changing property ownership. Ownership was collectively held by the clan and overseen by the clan head (Pattedara). The absence of beggars among the local inhabitants in Kodagu was notable because every resident held a share in Jamma land. Additionally, community members had the right to reside in ainemanes (ancestral houses) constructed on Jamma lands. In the past, the Jamma tenure served as a source of social security for the inhabitants.
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