100 J. W. Fdrry—JVotes on the Ndngis. [Mat, 



" The resemblance between the Arabic nis&r and the Hindi nichlidvari 

 is so close that the one might easily be a corruption of the other. But it 

 seems improbable that such a thoroughly Indian custom should not have 

 an indigenous name ; and, further, the derivation of nichhdvari would ap- 

 pear to be from the Sanskrit root hsliip^ ' to throw,' with the prefix ni^ 

 ' down.* I see that Mr. Bate in his Hindi Dictionary forms it from niyam 

 H- hshoy + var : but this can scarcely be accepted as a very plausible ex- 

 planation. Anyhow the word does not look like a foreign importation. 

 As to the etymology of nisdr, I must leave Arabic scholars to speak ; if 

 there is no connection between the two words, the coincidence in sound 

 and meaning is at least curious. Should there be no earlier authority than 

 Tulsi Das for the use of nichhdvari, it might be a mere adaptation of the 

 sound, such as \i2^^ Q,or\NQYiQ^intihal mio ant hdlyhil ijmdimiohrij mdly 

 and has helped to popularize many other unintelligible terms of legal 

 phraseology." 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Notes on the Ndngis : a Beligious Sect. — By J. W. Paeet, 

 Assoc. M. Inst, G. E. 



These notes were compiled by the author while at Bhiwani on the 

 Eewari-Ferozpur Railway. They are from two sources : (1) Written re- 

 cords in the Bhiwani Tahsil by one Amir Chand, a Deputy Collector, made 

 about 11 years ago ; (2) From notes made in conversation with Ramchan- 

 dra the present head of the Nangis at Bhiwani. It is assumed that the 

 present year 1883 corresponds with the Hindu Sambat 1937. 



Amir Ohand's Records. 

 In Magh Sambat 1828, corresponding to our January, 1774, Dedraj, the 

 founder of the sect, was born in the house of Puran Brahman in the village 

 of Dharsu, State Narnoul or Patiala. For the first 5 or 6 years Dedraj 

 fed cattle, but a Mussalman having killed a cow, Dedraj left off feeding 

 cattle and took to cultivating. At 11 years of age he went to Agra to 

 the house of Diwan Dharm Dass and was appointed cook. Here Nangi, 

 Dharm Dass's bhisti, became acquainted with him ; she used to give him 

 patasa, a native sweetmeat, and became devoted to his person. Subsequent- 

 ly Dedraj returned to his native village Dhursu with Nangi, where the 

 Mussalmans complained to the Nawab of Jhujjur that Dedraj was a Jadu- 

 gar or conjuror. He was imprisoned for two years : when released he came 

 to Mihrampur, district Narnoul, Sambat 1870, or 1816 A. D. He then 

 went to Churina, district Khetvi, where in Sambat 1892, A. D. 1839, he built 

 a temple and practised bhajan, gana bajana or worship with songs and 

 music. The report of his practices having spread, many men flocked to 

 hear him, especially Phulu Babar, Kaula, Dhana Jhabar— called the Pan- 



