Toka

The word "toka" refers to a share of the produce and the assessment of toka lands was paid in kind. Toka lands were also refereed to as "Sweet Batty Grounds" and comprised the Villages of Parel, Naigaon, Wadala, Dharavi, Matunga, Sion, Mahim and Worli. Toka lands comprised the area of about 1500 acres of land.

Members of the Kunbi community were the earlier cultivators of these lands. During the Aungier's Convention most of these lands were under Kunbis for cultivation and the produce was equally divided between the East India Company and the cultivator. During the 1677 Sidi War considerable portion of Toka lands were confiscated from the Jesuits who had the villages of Parel, Wadala and Sion under them.

In the year 1751 a change was made in the method of letting these lands as from then onwards the letting was done in the open market for a period of 7 years and for some time the payment was also made to be in cash and not kind. The farming system was finally abolished in the year 1800.

By then the Kunbis were restored the option of paying in cash or kind and directly to the Collector. In the year 1883, in a case filed at the High Court the right of the Government to increase the assessment over these lands was clearly established. Large amount of these lands were later on acquired by the City Improvement Trust and thus were taken out of the activity of agriculture.

Source: The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island, Volume II. 1909