Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9142

c10.9142

MANGELIN, s. A small weight, corresponding in a general way to a carat (q.v.), used in the S. of India and in Ceylon for weighing precious stones. The word is Telegu mañjali; in Tamil mañjādi, [from Skt. mañju, ‘beautiful’]; the seed of the Adenanthera pavonina (Compare RUTTEE). On the origin of this weight see Sir W. Elliot’s Coins of S. India. The mañjādi seed was used as a measure of weight from very early times. A parcel of 50 taken at random gave an average weight of 4·13 grs. Three parcels of 10 each, selected by eye as large, gave average 5·02 and 5·03 (op. cit. p. 47).