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DECEMBER, 1888.)
BOOK NOTICE.
369
And, that the Lichchbavis were then at least intelligible reason for the origin of the era, of equal rank and power with the Early which was clang to so persistently by his Guptas, is shewn by the pride in this alliance descendants that they continued the use of it manitested by the latter; exhibited in the for at least two centuries after the introduccareful record of the names of Kumaradevi, tion of the Harsha era into Nepal, and its and of her father or family, on some of the acceptance by their immediate neighbours, the gold cuins of Chandragupta I., and by the Thakuri family of Kailasakůțabhavana. And uniform application of the epithet, “ daugh- no objection could be taken by the Early ter's son of Lichchhavi or of a Lichchhavi," | Gupta kings to the adoption of the era of a to Samudragupta in the genealogical inscrip- royal house, in their connection with which tions. Again, the Allahâbâd pillar inscription they took special pride. I think, therefore, shews that, even if Samudragupta did not that in all probability the so-called Gupta make Népal a tributary province, his kingdom era is a Lichohhavi era, dating either from extended up to the confines of that country. a time when the republican or tribal constitu
There can be no doubt that the Early tion of the Lichchhavis was abolished in Gupta kings must have known the nature favour of a monarchy; or from the commenceand origin of whatever era was being used ment of the reign of Jayadeva I., as the by their Lichchhavi connections in Nepal. founder of a royal house in & branch of the And the period established for Jayadeva l. tribe that had settled in Nepal. But the approximates so closely to A.D. 320-21, that question of the origin of the era is one of it needs but little adjustment to place the course, on which further discoveries, ospecially commencement of his reign actually in that if any can be made in Nepál, may be expected year. This arrangement would give a perfectly to throw more light.
BOOK NOTICE. A RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL GLOSSARY for the North = invocations against dishonesty - Upper Dukb.
West Provinces and Oudh ; by WILLIAN CROOKE, B.A., B.C.3. Calcutta : Government Press, 1888.
(2) The cere.nony performed at the threshing-floor This is a book which should be in the hands of
at the time of forming the grain into a heap for all those who really wish to obtain an insight
winnowing.-Upper Duab." into the speech of the peoples inhabiting the
Here every synonym given for the name of this North-West Provinces and Oudh; but as it has
ceremony means so much separate research, which been issued by the Government Press and is a
shows only in one word at a time. The value, too, of purely Government publication, such is not likely unearthing such customs and their localities will be to be its fate. It is printed and got up in the appreciated by every student of folklore and custom. severely uninviting style peculiar to Government
The book is further full of proverbs and saws, publications, and no one has any particular interest illustrating the life of the people and their habits in its circulation; so it will probably be distributed of thought. Mr. Crooke claims originality of reto a few officials, some of whom will use it, but search here, having purposely avoided all refermost of whom will pigeon-hole it, while the ence to Fallon's Hindustani Proverbe, ed. Temple. majority of scholars and others to whom it will! Illustrations of the severely practical type be specially valuable will never even hear of it. accompany certain a ticles not otherwise explainHowever, it deserves a far better fate than this.
able. And lastly Mr. Crooke - has used all the It is the result of immense labour and research authorities procurable, including those invaluable
t first-hand, and is simply loaded with philological mines of information about India - the Settle. and folklore information of the most valuable kind.
The size of the book, or the length of an article in In a notice like this we cannot attempt to critiit, is no criterion of the labour bestowed on it. Its
cise the individual articles-indeed, for the vast ccuracy, moreover, is guaranteed by the author's majority we have nothing but praise. However, name. Let us take an example at random. that on "Gaga, Gagapir," might have been
"Chank - (Skr. chapa, charpd) (1) (barakat | enlarged with advantage from Temple's Legends ki mitt, bashavan, chhapa, chattur, gobarchak, of the Pañjdb and from Pañjáb Notes and Queries. gobardhan, gobardhana, gobart, thdpd), a piece of With this one criticism we commend to the wood, eto, on which is an inscription in moist perusal of all who are interestod in the philology, clay put on the heaped grain to keep off the evil folklore, and ethnology of Upper India this very eye and avoid theft. The inscription on it valuable addition to the anthropological literature usually 'aqabat ba khair bád, - iman ki salamatt of those parts.
