Indian Antiquary Vol 03

SR No.: 032495
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 420
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1874.
Saurashtra or Sauraråshtra, the country portions of the Northern Konkan and of the Ghâts of the Saras'; Rajputânà, the seat of the and Dång to the east. Rajputs'; Rohilakhanda,' the division of the The island of Bombay, and of Salsette in its Rohilas'; Bundela khanda, the division neighbourhood, early became fields of labour both of the Bundelas'; Ranga, 'the country of the to Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, who, aided Bangas,' or ancient Bengal; odrades a as they were by the direct interference of the (or Orissa),' the country of the odras,' Portuguese authorities, experienced so much mentioned by Manu.
success that about the half of their population It is rather difficult clearly to state the exact
entered the Roman Church. The converts were boundaries of the Marath & Country. But an to a certain extent from all classes of the Native approximation to them may be found by tracing community, but particularly from the Kulf fishthe boundaries of the Marathi language, the ermen, the Parvåris, Mahars, and the nearest to the Sanskrit (as remarked by Sir Kunbis or agriculturists. George Campbell) of all the vernacular languages The largest tribe of the Marathå people is that of India. The boundary line on the west extends of the Kunbis, corresponding with the Gujarati along the coast, from the Portuguese territories of Kula mbis or cultivators. The derivation of Daman on the north to the Portu: iese territories the name is as follows: Krishmi (S.) a plough. of Goa on the south, where the Konkani, an man, Kurmi (Hindi), Kulambi (Gujarati), allied Aryan tongue, commences. The river near and Kuna bi or Kunbi (Marathi). They aro Daman, called the Dama n-Ganga (the 'Dunga' called 'Maratha s' by way of distinction. Some of Ptolemy of the second century) tillits emergence of their oldest and highest families (as that of from the Ghats, forms its northern limit, as far as Śivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire) hold the low country is concerned. On the line of the themselves to be descended of Kshatriyas or Ghâţs, however, along their panlot, or watershed, Rajpats; and though they eat with the cultiand among the Kulis, Bhills, and other vating Marath &s they do not intermarry with jungle tribes, extends to the river Narmada, them. All the Marath&s, however, are viewed or Narbada, which separates it from the Guja. by the Brahmans as Sadras, though of old culrati and Nemadi or New&di, till the tivation was one of the duties of the Aryan Sát pud Range (which in continuation forms | Vaisyas, the other being that of merchandise. the boundary) touches it on the Narmada to the The Maratha Country is first mentioned by west and east. From the neighbourhood of name in connexion with the propagation of BadG&wilgad h, where an offset from the Såtpuda dhism. In the seventeenth year of the reign of the Range commences, it runs eastward in the direc- Emperor Asoka (before Christ 246) “ he deputed," tion of Betul and Sioni, or Sivani, terminating according to the Mahavanso, the great genealogito the east at the top of the Ghâţs between Nág. cal chronicle of Ceylon," the thero (patriarch) pur and Sivani, where, in a somewhat semicircular Mahadhammarakkito to the Mahratta." This form, with Nagpur as the centre, it turns south- missionary of Buddhism is declared, in the same ward, eastward, and westward, touching on Lanji work, to have experienced remarkable success. and Wairagadh, where it meets the Gondi and He had 48,000 disciples, 13,000 of whom are said Telugu. It then goes on to the neighbourhood to have been ordained priests by him in the Mahof Chånd &, from which it begins to run to the ratta." The Buddhist remains of Western India, west, to the town of M&hur, along the Pâyin- 80 numerous and magnificent, seem substantially Ganga River, separating it from the Telugu. to corroborate this statement. Though these reFrom M&hurit runs south to the Godavari, mains represent the wilder tribes of India as doing where, in a very irregular line, it begins to go to obeisance to Buddha, a general conversion to such the south-west, touching on Deglur, N &ldurg, a speculative form of faith as that of Buddhism Solapur, and Bijapur, from which it gets to conld have occurred only, in the first instance at the Krishna, which separates it from the K&na- least, among such an intelligent people as the rese, till the course of the Krishna makes a bend Aryas and the more enlightened classes of their to the north, nearly opposite Kol&pur. The subjects. These Aryas soon became so establishline then runs to the south-west.
ed and predominant in the country, that Aryar At the northern extremity of the Sahyadri (an Åryan) is the name given to a Marath& by his Range the slopes declining to the Narmad neighbour of the Kånarese country. Åryar, are principally inhabited by Bhills and other too, is the name given to the Maratha s by the wild tribes. These tribes too, occupy the forest degraded tribe of Mängs located in their own
• Vide ante, pp. 108 and 126, and conf. vol. I. p. 205.-ED.