Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.793

c10.793

BAHIRWUTTEEA, s. Guj. bāhir-watū. A species of outlawry in Guzerat; bāhirwatīā, the individual practising the offence. It consists “in the Rajpoots or Grassias making their ryots and dependants quit their native village, which is suffered to remain waste; the Grassia with his brethren then retires to some asylum, whence he may carry on his depredations with impunity. Being well acquainted with the country, and the redress of injuries being common cause with the members of every family, the Bahirwutteea has little to fear from those who are not in the immediate interest of his enemy, and he is in consequence enabled to commit very extensive mischief.”—Col. Walker, quoted in Forbes, Rās Māla, 2nd ed., p. 254-5. Col. Walker derives the name from bāhir, ‘out,’ and wāt, ‘a road.’ [Tod, in a note to the passage quoted below, says “this term is a compound of bār (bāhir) and wuttan (waṭan), literally ex patriā.”]