Indian Antiquary Vol 27

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 63

MARCH, 1893.]
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE.
53
The standards here given are: Tamil and Teluga, palam, 540 grs.30; Tamil and Telugu, maund, 35 lbs.;97 and Canarese and Malayalam, rattel, 1 lb.
As in the case of the Troy weights, the South Indian Muhammadans have done no more than use the indigenous Avoird apois system, as will be seen from the average South Indiau table of Muhammadan Avoirdupois weights given in the same article 29 :
3 tola are 1 palam 8 palam 1 kachân sêr 5 kachâ sêr 1 pañchsêr 2 pañchsêr 1 dhara 4 dhará
1 mag 20 man » 1 kandis To shew how difficult it is to get clear ideas on this subject, and in what different ways its facts can be stated, I take from Vol. I. p. 616, of the same work, the following comparative statement: -
The Five Principal Tables of Weights in South India.
(1) Native Jewellers and Druggista.
(2) Ordinary Native Tradera.
(9) Recognised by Government,
European and Native Merchants.
Telugu Districta.
Tamil Districta.
chinnunn ... 9 pagoda wt.... 4 dub...
tolah31
fanam ... 9 pagodaso wt..
pagoda wt. ...
..
...
..
pollam
24 cutcha seer...
tolah 10 pollum ... 10 pollain (Rs. 3). 3 pollum 8 cutcba seer.. 8 cutcha seer....
5 vis34... ... 40 viss... 18 maund ... 8 Madras md.. 120 candy .. 20 candy 36
40 viss
8 maand34 20 candy 35
.
.
..
ing altogether the attempt to express suoh (vernacular) words on English principles, and, instead of that, of employ. ing a method of strict transliteration from the exact letters of the original combined with the use of the Contiuental, and especially the Italian, powers of the Roman Alphabet, to which accents and other sigas are applied." I am not one of those who think the Madras Presidency to be in reality more "benighted" than other parts of India, but if authoritative officials choose to write like this, they have only themselves to thank for the contemptuous epithet. Iudeed, this great Manual is a standing objective proof of the wisdom of Sir William Jones in 1784, when he proclaimed his system of transliteration, and of the ultimate wisdom of the Government of India in following it, so far as practicable, now many years ago. When will Madras oficialdom learn that the movement for transliteration has beeu in progress for inore than 100 years?
26 The Malabar palam works out to 1,800 grs., being 100 to the maund of 25 lbs., while the Tamil and Telugu Palam. are 320 to tbe maand.
37 The Bombay maund is 28 lbs. : Prinsep, Unoful Tables, p. 117.
23 There are long discursive statements of South Indian Muhammadan weights in Herklots, Qanoon-e-Islam, 2nd Ed., 1838, Appx., P. v. ff., but it is quite impossible to work tables out of them. I
20 1. e., 40 pulam to the paschalr or viss, and 8 viss to the maund, 20 maunds to the khandt: d. the SouthIndian Tables above. 30 Also 10. n I. e., 30 chinnum.
" I. ., 84 rupees. HI.., 40 pollums. MI.., of 25 lbs.
Synonym : baurun..