Administrative System of the Marathas c28: Glossary
Administrative System of the Marathas c28
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Glossary
c28.1
¹ Compiled mainly from Molesworth's Marathi-English Dictionary.
c28.2
Abhayapatra—a paper promising security or impunity. Abhiṣeka—literally ceremonial ablution, coronation. Apṭā—a tree, *Bauhinia tomentosa*, for the origin of apṭā worship, see Valentia, Vol. II. Bāgāyat or bāgāit—ground planted with fruit-tree or vegetables. Bakhśīsnāmā—a deed of gift. Bhārgava Rām—an incarnation of Viṣṇu who exterminated the fighting race for no less than twenty-one times. Bāzār—a market. Belbhanḍhār—a solemn oath on leaves of Bel-tree and turmeric. On one occasion even such an oath was dismissed as of little consequence by a Maratha Chief with the sarcastic remark that *bel* was but the leaf of a common tree and *bhanḍhār* he ate every day. Berāḍ—a class of professional robbers, otherwise called Rāmośī. Bhanḍārā—a feast given to the Gosāvis or the Bairāgis. Bhusār—a generic term for the cereals, the grasses and the esculent culms. Chāmbhār—a shoe-maker or skin-dresser. Dānpatra—a deed of gift. Darakhdār—a holder of a hereditary public office especially Diwān, Mazumdār, Faḍnis, Sabnis, Karkhānnis, Chiṭnis, Jāmdār and Potnis.
c28.3
Dasrā—the tenth of the lighter half of Āśvin; for a description of the festivities celebrated on this day, see Valentia, Vol. II, Parasnis, Poona in Bygone Days and Gupte, Hindu Holidays and Ceremonials.
c28.4
Dewālī, more correctly Diwālī or Dipāvali—a festival with nocturnal illuminations. For a scholarly discussion of its origin, see Gupte, Hindu Holidays.
c28.5
Dhangar—they are shepherds and herdsmen and weavers in wool.
c28.6
Dharṇā—"The person who adopts this expedient for the purpose mentioned, proceeds to the door or house of the person against whom it is directed, or wherever he may most conveniently intercept him; he there sits down in *dherna*, with poison, or a poignard, or some other instrument of suicide, in his hand; and threatening to use it if his adversary should attempt to molest or pass him, he thus completely arrests him. In this situation the brahmin fasts; and by the rigour of the etiquette, which is rarely infringed, the unfortunate object of his arrest ought also to fast; and thus they both remain until the institutor of the *dherna* obtains satisfaction." Lord Teignmouth, quoted by Forbes, Oriental Memoirs, Vol. II, p. 391. Lord Teignmouth laboured under the idea that only Brahmans could institute a dharṇā. This is a mistake, even a Muhammadan creditor could sit in dharṇā at the gate of his Brahman debtor.
c28.7
Farmān—a royal mandate, commission, or patent.
c28.8
Gālichā—a small variegated carpet of wool upon a cotton ground.
c28.9
Gaṇeś and Gaur—Gaṇeś is the elephant-headed son of Śiva and Gauri. He is the god of wisdom and remover of all difficulties. For the ceremonies connected with Gaṇeś and Gaurī, see Gupte, Hindu Holidays.
c28.10
Gardi—an infantry soldier trained in European methods of warfare.
c28.11
Ghāṇā—an oil mill.
c28.12
Ghāsdānā—a contribution like the Chauth levied by Maratha chiefs.
c28.13
Gondhlī—a caste or an individual of it. They are musicians and singers and makers of Goṇḍhaḷ.
c28.14
Gunhegārī—a fine.
c28.15
Gurav—a caste among Śūdras. They are employed in the service of the temple and are worshippers of Śiva.
c28.16
Hakkadār—Any one having a claim or a right.
c28.17
Harijāgaraṇ—vigil kept in the lunar days named ekādaśī in honour of Hari or Viṣṇu.
c28.18
Harkī—money paid to the court, in token of gratification by the successful suitor or litigant.
c28.19
Ḥāṣil—a tax or duty.
c28.20
Hom—offerings made to gods particularly in form of libation thrown into fire.
c28.21
Hoṇ—a gold coin, also called Pagoda. See Prinsep, Useful Tables, price commonly between three and five Rupees.
c28.22
Huzur—the royal court or presence-chamber : also the royal person or the regal office and excellency as personified or as viewed concretely answering to His Majesty, The Government, etc.
c28.23
Inām—a grant in perpetuity.
c28.24
Jābtā—a regulation, law, statute, also a schedule ; a describing statement.
c28.25
Jāsud—a scout.
c28.26
Jawār—a plant and its grain, *Holcus sorghum*.
c28.27
Jirāyat also Jirāīt—a land fit for agriculture as distinguished from bāgāyat land.
c28.28
Kanyādān—giving away of a daughter.
c28.29
Kārkun—a clerk, scribe.
c28.30
Kārkhānā—a royal establishment as Prof. Dowson translates it. Prof. Sarkar translates kārkhānā as a factory in his *Mughal Administration*, but the Marathas classed even the zenana as a kārkhānā (see Ramchandra Pant Amatya's Rājniti) and therefore Prof. Dowson's translation is quite appropriate.
c28.31
Kasbā—the chief town of a Parganā.
c28.32
Kaṭyār—a dagger.
c28.33
Kaul—a writing of assurance, agreement or engagement as granted by Government, but in the Deccan this word was sometimes used in a still wider sense, see Ananda Ranga Pillai's Diary.
c28.34
Khār—salt, mineral or vegetable.
c28.35
Khārip—the autumnal harvest.
c28.36
Khelāt—a robe of honour.
c28.37
Khijmatgār—a servant.
c28.38
Khot—a farmer of land revenue, for particulars see Bombay Gazetteer.
c28.39
Killedār—officer in charge of a fort.
c28.40
Koḷi—either a hillman of that tribe or a caste or individual thereof who supply water.
c28.41
Kumbhār— a potter.
c28.42
Kunbi—a peasant.
c28.43
Lohār—a blacksmith.
c28.44
Mahāl—a small subdivision, or a Government department as in the twelve Mahals.
c28.45
Majālas—a royal court or an assembly; also an assembly in general of great, learned or respectable persons.
c28.46
Mālī—a florist, a gardener.
c28.47
Mantra—an incantation or a mystical verse, a spell,
c28.48
Mārtanda—the sun god.
c28.49
Maujā—a village.
c28.50
Māwalī—an inhabitant of Māwal.
c28.51
Mokāsā—the holder of a mokāsā (rent-free land) or the farmer of the revenue of it on the part of the person holding or of the state.
c28.52
Mokdam properly Mukaddam, a title of the Pātil or the managing authority of a village.
c28.53
Muhūrta—the second marriage of a Śudra widow.
c28.54
Mujāvar—a sweeper of a mosque.
c28.55
Mukkām—A residence or encampment.
c28.56
Muśāhirā—a salary or a stipend.
c28.57
Naivedya—an offering of some eatable to an idol.
c28.58
Nala (Nālā)—A deep ditch.
c28.59
Nāngar—a plough.
c28.60
Nazar—a present to a superior.
c28.61
Nhāvī—a barber.
c28.62
Odhā—a pit.
c28.63
Pāgoṭā—a turban.
c28.64
Pānsupārī—a term for betel leave and all the ingredients composing the roll, a small bribe.
c28.65
Pārasnīs—a Persian Secretary.
c28.66
Parit—a washerman.
c28.67
Parwārī—a village watchman, gate-keeper or porter.
c28.68
Pāt—a second and inferior sort of marriage among widows of the lower classes.
c28.69
Paṭṭī—a tax or cess.
c28.70
Polā—an agricultural festival, bullocks are on that day exempted from labour, variously decorated and paraded.
c28.71
Prāyaśchitta—a penance.
c28.72
Rabī—the vernal crop.
c28.73
Rājināmā—agreement.
c28.74
Rāmośī—see under Beraḍ.
c28.75
Rupees—Chāndvaḍ seems to be the Chandory Rupee of Prinsep's list; its weight was 172 grains and its intrinsic value 95·939. Malhārsāi derived its name from Malhar Rao Holkar its weight also was 172 grains but its intrinsic value was 93·646. The old Surat Rupee weighed 144·50 grains and its purity was 99·367. See Prinsep's Useful Tables.
c28.76
Sanad—a commission or a warrant.
c28.77
Sangā—a cloth.
c28.78
Sangam—the confluence of rivers.
c28.79
Saranjām—villages granted for maintaining an army.
c28.80
Sarkārkūn—a minister.
c28.81
Sāyvān—an awning, canopy.
c28.82
Seer (Ser)—a Bombay seer = 11 oz. 3⅛ dr. 40 seers make a maund, a Poona seer = 1 lb. 15 oz. 8⅛ dr.
c28.83
Shanti (Śānti)—an appeasing ceremony.
c28.84
Sherni (Śerni)—same as Harkī.
c28.85
Shelā (Śelā)—a sort of scarf.
c28.86
Shiralshet (Śirālśet)—a corndealer who became king for about an hour, an earthen image of him is worshipped and then thrown into a well or tank.
c28.87
Shirpav (Śirpāv)—a turban bestowed by a Raja or grandee as a mark of favour.
c28.88
Shradh (Śrāddha)—a funeral ceremony consisting of offerings of water and food to the manes.
c28.89
Sinhastha—the position of the planet Jupiter in the sign of Leo.
c28.90
Sonār—a goldsmith.
c28.91
Sūtār—a carpenter.
c28.92
Swāmi—Master equivalent to your Majesty or your Highness.
c28.93
Tabrūk—presents from a Pīr's shrine by way of a blessing.
c28.94
Tagri (Tāgṛī)—a balance or pair of scales.
c28.95
Ṭāk—a weight equal to about a grain.
c28.96
Tāṇḍel—boatswain. Tape—a small subdivision or district. Thāṇā—the head station of a tāluka: also a post, station or lodge under the civil authority. Til—*Sesamum orientale*, the plant and the seed pot have been nicely shown in a plate in Forbes, Oriental Memoirs. Ṭilak—a mark made with coloured earth or unguents upon the forehead. Toran—a lintel. Tulasī—A shrub venerated by the Hindus. Ocymum Sanctum. Upādhye—A priest. Varāt—An assignment or order upon the revenues or a treasury. Varṣāsan—An annual allowance or stipend granted to Brahmans. Vavri (vāvḍī)—a paper kite or ornamental paper work. Wafa—(Vāphā) literally the pit which receives the boiled juice of the sugarcane, hence an indefinite measure. Wakīl—an envoy or deputy. Watan—an hereditary estate, office, right, due; any hereditary right whether in land or in office. Waṭandār—one who has a watan. Yādī—a memorandum, a list, roll.