State Patronage By The British Raj Grants in Aid or Political Pensions In Ludhiana District

The tradition of giving grants and patronage has existed in India since ancient times. These grants were addressed by different names in different periods or regions. The word "Patronage" refers to the support, protection, or encouragement a patron gives to a person, cause, or institution. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, patronage largely meant the support or favour provided by rulers to those who held influence with the general population and helped them in various ways to maintain their popularity in return. In the Punjab region, the dharmarth grants constituted a significant part of the state's patronage under the rulers. Some state patronages or grants entailed certain responsibilities, too, in return. The grants used to be cancelled if the recipient of the grants or patronage failed to fulfil these responsibilities properly. The present paper explores the grants or pensions given by the British Government in the Ludhiana District to different persons or Institutions.