Indian Antiquary Vol 37

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

Page 89

MARCH, 1908.]
PANJAB ADMINISTRATIVE TERMS AND TITLES.
77
The following is a list of the State officials in the Simla Hill Stato 37:
Midi, the chief's next brother, holding the appointment of inspector and examiner in general
Wazir, minister. 28
Mautd or mahtd, an officer of a pargand, corresponding to the pdlord, and having ander him 28 bis subordinates :
A kerdule or kardwak (from kdrd, revende, and ughawna, to collect), whose dnty it is to collect the revenue and hand it over to the mautd for payment into the State treasury.
Ghenchnd from ghi, clarified batter, and ughawnú, to collect), whose doty it is to collect the revenue in ghi imposed on certain grass-lands.
Pydda (from Hindi pidda), & peon, whose duty is to do what the mautd and krduk order him.
Blair, an inferior kárdar, termed halmandi in the upper hills.
Bhddri (from Hindi bhandart), the officer in charge of the granary, corresponding to kothari : from thdar (Hindi bhanddr), granary. In the Simla Hill States, the following terms are, or were, in use : -
Barn, an oath2o taken on the Chief of the State, and therefore more binding than the chúk, thal, or darohi, q. v. : (used in the Rorhů tahsil of Bashahr State).
The barn can only be cancelled by giving the chief a little gold, as well as a rupee (Kurahârsain). Pandit Tika Ram Joshi, late Secretary to the last Raja of Bashahr, notes, however, that there is no tradition of the barn in the Simla Hills.
Chúk,30 an oath taken on an official of the State : (used in the State of Kamhârsain).
Chichhar, a collector of the grain, ghi, etc., levied as revenue, appointed by the State (Kamhårsain).
Darohi, 31 an oath on a State official (Kamhårsain).
Dio (Sanskțit divya, an oath or ordeal). Ordeals were formerly used in cases which the State officials could not determine. One, called garm-dib, consisted in placing a coin in a pan full of boiling oil and requiring the party swearing to take it out without burning his hand. Another, called thandd-dib, was less severe. Two balls of flour were made, one containing a little gold, the other a little silver. These were pat in a jar full of water, and a boy made to take them out and give one to each party : be who got the silver won.
Halmandi, mate," a village headman or his deputy (Kumhârsain). Kohála, a watchman or keeper of the State granary (Kumhârsain).
Kshokra, a word used on the occasion of a dib, in which the parties pay one rupee each, in cash to the chief as a guarantee that so much will be paid by the man who is proved in the wrong.
Mangnár,33 a village headman (Kumhirsain). Cf. mángni, demand for tribute in Mandi.
According to Pandit Tka Ram Joght, the following are the officials of a village deota or godling in these States :- Dinwan, the person who speaks on behalf of a deity, and in whose soul the deity is sapposed to play (khelna), is held in great respect by all persone. He must keep himself clean and pure three days before he enters the temple. When playing his words are believed to be those of the deity itself. He has under him three officials, vis, #bhdari, a krduk, and & pyada, i, e., treasurer, collector, and peon.
2 Warlr is olearly a modern term, but it is widely used thronghont Chamba, Mandi, Kulld, and the Simla Hill States, as are its derivatives waxiri and wixárat. Waar does not appear to correspond at all to mahta, nor does waziri equal pargand. In Kanwar the term for waxlr is bist (feminine bietaní), and a pargand is khunang.
29 Al these oaths (barn, chak, etc.) can also be taken on a god, in which case the parties go to the temple and offer him a rupee, with a goat as a sacrifice.
50 Possibly represents H. chikna, to orr, miss (Platte, 3. v.), also said to mean "to proceed against." 31 From Sanakpit droha, hostile action.
From kotha, granary. * From mangna, to demand, beg.