badami

Note 62: See Chapter 4 for more on Abd al-Rahman's badami or almond agent in Peshawar.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

The badami was the most important facilitator of subsidy-related communication between Abd al-Rahman and his expatriate commercial agents.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

The final in a series of disbursements to the badami, then Abd al-Khaliq Khan, occurred on September 22 and was for five lakhs of rupees. 35

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

Partly as a result of his connection to the subsidy, the postmaster communicated on behalf of Abd al-Rahman with a plethora of British and Durrani officials, and Indian and Afghan traders in Peshawar and throughout India. 41 The badami and the postmaster provided intelligence to and disseminated a wide variety of information for Abd al-Rahman, not only in Peshawar but also by extension from there throughout India.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

The badami held primary responsibility over the subsidy account.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

There was a good deal of overlap between the subsidy-related duties of the Durrani postmaster and badami, and this arrangement was Abd al-Rahman's method of obtaining mutual oversight of the two individuals he deputed to manage the extensive pool of subsidy resources the British made available to him in Peshawar.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

The Envoy's subsidy-related activities can be distinguished from those exhibited by the badami and postmaster because they occurred on a wider and larger scale, and because he retained ultimate political responsibility for the subsidy as a result of his duty of overseeing all other Durrani state officials in India.

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

See later for more on the Durrani badami and postmaster in Peshawar, the Durrani Envoy with the Government of India, and the commercial agents stationed elsewhere in India. back

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

The badami and/or postmaster would then transmit those instructions to Peshawar Treasury officials through the office of the Peshawar Commissioner. 32

Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier 2008

Cloths dyed in the _badami_ shades are affected, when they can afford it, by Gosains and other religious mendicants, who thus dwell literally in the odour of sanctity.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India - Volume IV of IV Kumhar-Yemkala Robert Vane Russell 1894