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The Vatandar, or Watandar (Hindi: वतनदार) is an Indian term meaning "landholder". The title was given to landowners, particularly in Maharashtra.^[1]

The vatandar generally owned a plot of land or vatan/watan worked by the local people, who were dependent on the vatandar for their subsistence. In some cases, vatan land and the title vatandar were awarded to an individual by a higher ruler as reward for meritorious service.^[2]

The grant of a watan plot differed from the grant of an inam and a person might hold either or both. While a watan was a hereditary rent-free grant to a village resident in lieu of services that the resident was expected to perform for the village on an ongoing basis, an inam was granted in recognition of past service to the state, usually but not always in relation to the military. A watan grant continued for as long as its holder had the confidence of the village community, whilst an inam grant, which might also take the form of a share of village land revenues, was held in perpetuity.^[3]

As a title

Koli: Vatandar, or Watandar is a title of the Kolis^[4] who were Vatandar in Maratha Empire and "landholder Kolis".^[5]
Mahar: the Vatandar title also used by Mahars of Maharashtra but they received the payments from chief for their services as Vatandar.^[6]
Brahmin: the Brahmins were Vatandar under rulers but they were hereditary priest for their rulers and received the Vatan for their duties as Family priest.^[7]

References

^ Catanach, I. J. (2023-04-28). Rural Credit in Western India 1875–1930: Rural Credit and the Co-operative Movement in the Bombay Presidency. New Delhi, India, Asia: Univ of California Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-520-32782-5.
^ Wankhede, Deepak Mahadeo Rao (2009). Geographical Thought of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. New Delhi, India, Asia: Gautam Book Center. p. 157. ISBN 978-81-87733-88-1.
^ Kulkarni, A. R. (2000). "The Mahar Watan: A Historical Perspective". In Kosambi, Meera (ed.). Intersections: Socio-Cultural Trends in Maharashtra. London: Sangam. pp. 121–140. ISBN 978-0863118241. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
^ Guha, Sumit (2007-12-24). Environment & Ethnicity In India:1200-1991. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-521-05592-5. In 1763-4 uprisings in the vicinity of Rajmachi in the Maval district were serious enough for troops to be despatched there. Meanwhile, trouble was also brewing at Purandhar. The garrison there had developed a close attachment to Gopikabai and her son Madhavrao - a claimant to the Peshwaship, who was temporarily displaced from power by his uncle Raghunathrao in 1762. The latter decided to tighten his hold on the government, and placed two of his adherents - Sakharam pant and Abha Purandare - in charge of Sinhagad and Purandhar respectively. But the Kolis were Watandars, and refused to accept their new commander
^ Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Akola. New Delhi: Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State. 1977. p. 239. Watandars are found in Jalgaon tahsil in Khandesh, doing village service but superior to Mahars. When a festival in honour of Mahadeva is held at Mahabaleshwar, the feast begins by food being set before two Watandar Kolis
^ Sturman, Rachel (2012-06-29). The Government of Social Life in Colonial India: Liberalism, Religious Law, and Women's Rights. New Delhi, India, Asia: Cambridge University Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-1-107-01037-6.
^ Sanstha, Samaj Prabodhan (1964). Agro-industrial Balance: An Expository Survey of Sirur Taluka. Popular Prakashan.

The State and the Village Community in Medieval Maharashtra (Seventeenth-Eighteenth Century AD)/Mily Roy Anand. New Delhi, Rajat, 2005, vii, 119 p., ISBN 81-7880-156-6.
http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Ahmadnagar/gen_admin_collector.html
Medieval Indian History. Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2003 ISBN 81-7156-062-8, 978-81-7156-062-2. [1]
Administrative System of the Marathas. Surendra Nath Sen, Published by K. P. Bagchi, 1976 Pg. 18,21,141