A History of the Mahrattas v1.c7.177

v1.c7.177

from words of their own language: Dus, signifying ten, and Mookh, the fist; hence, say they, Desmookh, the tenth handful, which brings the signification to accord with the supposed original allowance of those hereditary officers. Desh, (or, in Hindoostanee, Des,) signifies a country; Mookh the mouth; and Mookhya a chief: the Mahrattas say the derivation is not from Mookhya, a chief, but from Desh, and Mookh, the mouth, or spokesman of a district. Many Englishmen have adopted the Mahomedan derivation. [Ranade (Rise of the Maratha Power, p. 22, 23) remarks, ‘The system of higher revenue management by means of hereditary Desmukhs and Deshpāndēs has not outlived the purpose for which it was originally instituted. The Desmukhs and Deshpāndēs in other parts of the country have developed into Bengal Zamīndārs and Oudh Tālukdārs, who made themselves directly responsible to the State, and became in the end owners of village lands.’