A History of the Mahrattas v1.c19.64

v1.c19.64

¹ An anecdote of this freebooter is related by his countrymen with much horror. It is necessary to premise that one of the most sacred of oaths, amongst Mahrattas, is taken by holding the leaves of the tree called Bel, conjoined with Turmeric, which in the Mahratta language is known by the name of Bandar. Thorat was accused of having forfeited his oath, and treacherously seized Ballajee Wishwanath, after swearing on the Bel-Bandar. ‘And what of that,’ said Thorat, ‘don’t I eat Bandar daily, and what is Bel but the leaves of a tree?’