Patil

Patil (Marathi: पाटील) (meaning "head" or "chief") is an Indian title or surname native to Maharashtra and Karnataka. Many Patils were warriors in the Maratha army.

"Patil" is predominantly used by the Deccan, Vidarbha and Maratha people of Maharashtra and Lingayats of Karnataka. The native language of most Patils is predominantly either Marathi or Kannada. Traditionally, Patils had assistants such as the talati or kulkarni to assist them with the clerical work involved in the collection of revenue in their areas of control.

'Patil' meant "chief of the village".

The word Patil could also have derived from 'Patilki'. 'Patu' means "clever", and "patta" means "chief". The person who established the village used to become Patil. Patil used to become known, because of village recognition. Patil was not a government post or self occupied post. Virtues and works of the person used to make him a Patil. Later on this post became hereditary. Patil became the Village King and later received Government honor, even after receiving many posts. The Sardars means "soldiers" who did not give up Patilship. In some places Patils are known as Goudar, Banakar, Patelru, Inamdhar and Mokaddam or 'Mukadam' meaning is Chief Man (King of Village).

A man who bought his relatives and opened land became the Patil or the village chief. He in essence, owned the village land and granted it to others. A Patil generally owned about 30-40 percent of land in the village. His job was to collect revenue from the entire village and submit it to the royal treasury. He not only acted as a revenue officer but as a judicial head in the village, as the chieftain of the village. Besides this the Patil was responsible for the defence of the village, tracing every crime in the village and provide protection to the village. The Patil was also awarded with rent free lands or "Inam" (reward). A Patil also received Patilkis (village chief rights).

Among prominent Patils were the Royal Bhonsle (or Bhosle) family. Shivaji Maharaj's grandfather Maloji Bhosle was a Patil of villages near Daund in Pune and verul (ellora) near Aurangabad.

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