Most of the states in India have modernized the land record system, bringing it online. However, several methods of record keeping used in the past, to create a repository of land ownerships, is still in use. Shajra Parcha is one of them being used in India and Pakistan as a medium to define land ownership.
What is Shajra Parcha?
Shajra comes from the Arabic word شَجَر (Shajar), which means a tree or a plant. When applied in the context of land records, Shajra means land ownership patten among its legal heirs. Parcha means a piece, here it means a piece of cloth.
A Shajra Parcha is thus a piece of cloth on which the details of a land, its legal heirs and their share in the land are provided. It also elaborates the change of hands from time-to-time.
See also: What does Tarmeem mean in context of land records in India?
Who issues Shajra Parcha?
The office of Patwari has been empowered to maintain Shajra Pracha. Patwari has only one copy of the settlement map in his custody for all purposes. The Patwari’s copy is used to be made on ‘Latha’.
Which details are found in Shajra Parcha?
Shajra Parcha provides details like survey number and dimension of a field. It is prepared at the time of settlement or consolidation. The original copy is retained in the Tehsil record room and is updated every five years. Patwari’s copy is kept up to date through field inspections and incorporation of all transfers attested from time-to-time.
Why is Shajra Parcha important?
Before land records in India were modernised and brought online, land revenue authorities in the country used several manual tools to create and maintain land records. Shajra Parcha used to be a key link in the chain. A record of land settlements maintained by the office of Patwari, this document on cloth provided buyers and investors a clear idea about land ownership and positioning.
FAQs
What is Shajra Parcha?
A piece of cloth on which a village map is drawn, showing the position and boundaries of every field is known as Shajra Parcha.
What kind of cloth was used to make Shajra Parcha?
Patwaris keep a copy of Shajra on a cloth called ‘Latha’.
Who maintains Shajra Parcha?
All changes in field boundaries, occurring due to partition, sale, transfer, etc., attested in mutation are entered from the Parat Sarkar mutation. A copy on a cloth called ‘Latha’ is kept and updated by Patwari.
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