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ee 6.] The Rawats and Merats of Rajputana, 215 
Battalion’ and continued under this name till 1871, when it was 
reorganised under the name of the “ Merwara Battalion,” under 
which designation it continued till 1903, when, on the renumbering 
of the Native Army, it became the 44th Merwara Infantry. It 
six months in 1902, and, in the same year, some men of both clans 
went with the Coronation Contingent from the regiment. Th 
formerly. It would be only natural that they, with their vague 
religious ideas, should, in the course of time, be influenced by the 
orthodox followers of Hinduism on one hand and of Islam on the 
back to 1875—-in which year Mr. (now Sir James) La Touche 
wrote his Gazetteer of Ajmer-Merwara 
11. For 
e tendencies he indicated appear to have 
The progrete == made but little or no progress. Outside 
pdt’ from influences had not been brought to bear 
: on the clans, and Rawats and Merats inter- 
married and interdined or not according to their personal inclina- 
tions. About 1900, however, commenced a series of events which 
turned the scales, and it was about that year in which the question 
began to assume its present aspect. And here it becomes necessary 
contention ” eee “ 
of the Rawats. the ‘ 
state that the Merits gave their daughters to low-class Muhamma- 
dans and marry within degrees or relationship which are prohibit- 
- th ; ; 
n going on for years, and they then endeavour to screen them- 
selves behind the contention that they have increased to a very 
