_Rajput, Paik_.--This term means a foot-soldier, and is returned
from the northern Districts. It belongs to a class of men formerly
maintained as a militia by zamindars and landholders for the purpose
of collecting their revenue and maintaining order. They were probably
employed in much the same manner in the Central Provinces as in Bengal,
where Buchanan thus describes them: [552] "In order to protect the
money of landowners and convey it from place to place, and also, as
it is alleged, to enforce orders, two kinds of guards are kept. One
body called Burkandaz, commanded by Duffadars and Jemadars, seems
to be a more recent establishment The other called Paik, commanded
by Mirdhas and Sirdars, are the remains of the militia of the Bengal
kingdom. Both seem to have constituted the foot-soldiers whose number
makes such a formidable appearance in the Ain-i-Akbari. These unwieldy
establishments seem to have been formed when the Government collected
rent immediately from the farmer and cultivator, and when the same
persons managed not only the collections but the police and a great
part of the judicial department. This vast number of armed men, more
especially the latter, formed the infantry of the Mughal Government,
and were continued under the zamindars, who were anxious to have as
many armed men as possible to support them in their depredations. And
these establishments formed no charge, as they lived on lands which the
zamindar did not bring to account." The Paiks are thus a small caste
formed from military service like the Khandaits or swordsmen of Orissa,
and are no doubt recruited from all sections of the population. They
have no claim to be considered as Rajputs.