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MAY, 1899.]
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
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birth the mother is rubbed with oil, for several days; the child is also rubbed with oil, by some for two or three months, by others for as many as six months. On the seventh day, after a funeral, a neighbouring woman or two bring cocoanut milk and rub the hair of the women-mourners. Women, once in a week or fortnight, and sometimes men also, oil their hair, by means of cocoanut milk, before washing with water. The bride and bridegroom are anointed with cocoanut milk on the wedding-day. Corpses are also anointed with cocoanut milk before washing, preparatory to the funeral. When a person is over-fatigued with hard work, such as that of a cultivator, he receives great comfort from having his back, loins, neck and joints rubbed with oil, followed by a hotwater bath,
Precious stones. The diamond is believed to be poisonous. It is believed that great merchants always wear a diamond ring, and, should they meet with loss to any large extent, they commit suicide by sucking the Venom from the diamond, Children, particularly girls, are made to wear necklaces of coral. Wristlets (mangulias) are also made of coral and tied round the wrists. These necklaces and wristlets are sometimes interpersed with dit-minúsi (Evil-Eye beads) to keep off the Evil Eye, When any one casts the Evil Eye, a dir-minúan breaks off. When children are sick, the colour of the coral worn by them fades and the beads become pale. With the return of health the bright colour, of the coral also returns. Amber-beads are also strung between coral beads and worn round the neck and wrists and waist. These amber-beads are also believed to break when the Evil Eye falls on the wearer.
Salutations. The form of salutation among the Salsette Christians, when they meet, is, among the illiterate generally and the literate too, a slight shake of the head with the expression zuár and the question "ká khabar ? How are you?" Others, with some pretensions to learning or rather to civilization, who sometimes speak Portuguese (not quite the correct language), say: - "Como esta? How are you?" or "Como vai? How do you go ?" or "Como passo ? How do you pass ?" or "Como deiza ? How do you keep"? Many, also, salute in English, shaking hands, as they say:"How are you ?" or "How do ye do ?" etc.
(To be continued.)
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
(Founded on the Burhan-i Ma,csir.) BY MAJOR J. S. KING, M.R.A.S.
Preface. ALL histories of the Bahmani and succeeding Muhammadan dynastics of the Dakhin hitherto published, have been based upon Firishtah; but the history of the Bahmani Kings which I now introduce, is based upon the Burhan-i Maasir, by Ali Bin 'Aziz-Ullah Tabataba
- & work written several years before Firishtah's appeared. Though the two authors were contemporaries, and probably met one another in Ahmadnagar, neither makes any mention of the other. We may presume that they both had access to the same works of reference in compiling the Bahmanf history; yet several remarkable discrepancies are observable, especially in the names and genealogy of some of the kings. Where the difference occurs, the Bahmani
• What the word may mean I do not know, but it apparently means compliments, for the expression is also used in that sende ; for instance, at time of parting, people generally say - Fuar sängd give compliments.
6 Lit., what news ?
1 Firishtah loft Ahmadnagar, and proceeded to Bij par in A, H. 998 (A, D. 1599). Shortly after his arrival in the latter place he commenced writing his history, under the auspices of IbrAhim 'Adil-ShAh II., but did not complete it till about A. H. 1036 (A, D. 1626-7). He mentions in the preface no less than thirty-five works which he consulted in the composition of his history, and according to Briggs - makes quotations from twenty others in the body of his work; yet never mentions the Burhan- Madeir, unless he alludes to it under some other title. Professional jealousy probably accounts for this.
