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NovemBER, 1875.]
SKETCH OF THE KÅTHIS.
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SKETCH OF THE KÅTHIS. ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE TRIBE OF KHACHAR AND HOUSE OF CHOTILA.
BY MAJOR J. W. WATSON, BHAUNAGAR. D URING the celebrated strife between the they remained for many years. One year there
Kauravas and Pandavas, when the was a great famine, and Vishalo, the head of the latter were travelling incognito, during the thir- Patgartribe, with his tribe and many other Kathîs, teenth year of their banishment, the Kauravas, came to Saurashtra, and taking their flucks by way of discovering their enemies, went about and herds into the Barad a mountains remained harassing cows, so as to induce the Pandavas to there. Vishalo himself came to Kala wad (now declare themselves by issuing to protect them. under Navanagar) and built a nes (or hamlet) How their device succeeded is detailed in the there. At this time Dhân Vâlâ was reigning Mahabharata. Now Karna, the son of Surya by in Wala Chamardi. One of his sons, by Kuntâ, mother of the Pandavas, was an ally of the name Verawalji, went on a pilgrimage to Dwarka, Kauravas, and he undertook to bring to aid them and on his return journey halted at Kalwad, the best cattle-lifters in the world. This Karna where he accidentally saw Rupâlde, the beautiful was the first to bring the Kathis into Hindu- daughter of Vishalo Patgar, and, being enamourstân, and accordingly when he came to the ed of her, he asked her hand of her father in Kauravas' aid he brought with him the seven marriage. Her father, Vislâlo, agreed un conditribes of the Kathîs, viz. (1) Patgar, (2) tion that Verûwalji should become a Kathi, and Pândava, (3) Nárad, (4) Natâ, (5) Mån- Veriwalji consenting was married with great jaria, (6) Totariâ, and (7) Garibaguli. pomp to the beautiful Rupilde. Veråwalji was These seven are the original Kathis, and all the now outcasted by his brethren, and ever after modern tribes are sprung from their intermar- residod amongst the Kithis. The following riage with Rajput tribes; thus the intermar- kavit is said regarding this marriage :riage with the Wâlâs gave rise to the great
RETT. sub-tribe of the Shakhayats, in which are
TTTT | HTH 1.9 11 included the three leading tribes of Wala, Khachar, and Khum ân: the intermarriage
भोमवार तथ बीज । चुकर संग उमंडे || with the Rathods of the Dhandhal tribe
घरे-त्रंबाला घोर | चोदश फोजां सजे ॥ gave rise to the Dhandhals; and their in
रणछोडराय रुदये रखी ।। वीश्वकीध दीगोजे ॥ terinarringe with the Jhalas founded the tribe
घरभण शंग हालोघण। ।। एम कालावड भावीयो ।। of Khawad. These original Kathis, ac HTTGTT TETT NTTIT II care
a u cofrar 11 companying the Kauravas, lifted the cattle of It is written that in Samvat 1240, in the month Verât, the modern Dholaka, and after the of Vaishakh, the light half, defeat of the Kauravas settled in the province On Tuesday the second day of the month, at of Malwa, on the banks of the river Chomal. the cominencement of four quarters,
Now Vrittriketu, of the Solar race, Tho drams were beating loudly and the army coming from Ayodhyanagari, is said to have was ready in all. founded the kingdom of Màn da vagadh in Haviny kept Ranchorai at heart, he who was Malwâ; some accounts represent him to have victorious over the four quarters of the earth, brought with him to Malwa the seven tribes The great sangh was returning home, and so of the Kathis; and this account appears came to Kala wnd; the more probable of the two. Vrittriketu He, the all-knowing Verwal, son of Dhân, was succeeded on the throne of Mandava Married at the house of Vishalo Patgar. gadh by Ajaketu, whose descendants many Though in quoting this poetry I have retained years after are said to have entered Sau- the original words, viz. Samvat 1240, I incline to rashtra and reigned at Wala. They were think that it should be Saṁvat 1440, because accompanied by the seven Kathi tribes, who, there is good reason to doubt that the Parmars however, leaving Saurashtra, went to Kachh, of Muli settled there before the fifteenth century and there founded the kingdom of PÂwar. Samvat, and, as will be shown hereafter, they gadh, near the site of the modern Bhuj, where were at this time holding Muli.
• So named from Khawadji Jhal, the son of Harpaldova, who married a KAthifni.
