What is "mridha"

Mridhas (from Hindi and Sanskrit मृध, meaning battle or war) were warriors or armed faction of the lords in Bengal ( zamindar). Like military generals, mridhas along with jemadars were in charge of fighting and conducting warfare, mostly against the peasants and common people who lived on the lord's land.

It was customary on the part of landholders and other leading landed interests such as taluqdars to intervene in the daily lives of the peasants or " ryots" with the army and police forces. " Lathials" or soldiers were sent only when courts failed to do what the lords wanted them to do.