Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s7.t2.29

v2.c27.s7.t2.29

Oaths, Food, Omens.—Their invocations and imprecations are peculiar. The Chita or northern Mer, since he became acquainted with the name of the prophet, swears by ‘ Allah,’ or by his first proselyte ancestor, ‘ Duda Dawad Khan,’ or the still more ancient head of the races, ‘ Chita, Barar ka an.’ The southern Mers also use the latter oath : “ By my allegiance to Chita and Barar ” ; and they likewise swear by the sun, ‘ Suraj ka Sagun,’ and ‘ Nath ka Sagun’ ; or their ascetic priest, called the Nath. The Muhammadan Mer will not now eat hog; the southron refuses nothing, though he respects the cow from the prejudices of those around him, and to please the Nath or Jogi, his spiritual guide. The partridge and the maloli,¹ or wag-tail, are the chief birds of omen with him, and the former ‘ clamouring ’ on the left, when he commences a foray, is a certain presage of success. To conclude ; colonies of the Mers or Meras will be found as far north as the Chambal, and even in the peninsula of Saurashtra. Merwara is now in subjection to the Rana of Mewar, who has erected small forts amidst the most influential communities to overawe them. The whole tract has been assessed; the chiefs of the districts being brought to the Rana’s presence presented nazarana, swore fidelity, and received according to their rank gold bracelets or turbans. It was an era in the annals of Mewar to see the accumulated arms of Merwara piled upon the [687] terrace of the palace at the capital ; but these measures were subsequent to our sojourn.