Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c8.48

c8.48

In order still more to enhance the solemnity of the event the witnesses or the neighbours selected as arbitrators are to put on red robes and red garlands, sprinkle earth over their heads and in this pageantry visit the boundary and fix it; otherwise a single person who enjoys universal confidence is appointed for this purpose (M. 8, 256; Y. 2, 152; Nār. 11, 10). Such an act has the character of an ordeal; it is therefore watched whether he who fixes the boundary is visited by any mishap within a short time in which case his decision is regarded as false (Kāty. 18, 19).¹ Attempts are made to secure dependable depositions by threats of high fines for giving false evidence. If the border people are bribed and intentionally give false evidence, distant neighbours should be heard (Kāty. 18, 10).² As a last resort, the king should settle the boundary; according to M. 8, 255 the king should be appealed to as a rule in all the boundary disputes and the names of the witnesses should be entered in a document; the boundary document *sīmāpattra* is also mentioned elsewhere.