1833.) ; of the Jats of Bharatpur. 275 
ment being assigned her in the Mehdl or inner apartments,) and the 
old ministers of the Raja appointed to succeed her. Of these, the 
Dewan, or principal minister, Jewaurr Lat, was fortunately a person 
of considerable knowledge and experience in business, having held the 
Dewdni with distinguished honor to himself and advantage to the 
state during the reign of Ransit, Rampyan, and Bautpro Sineun. 
By his prudent and equitable measures tranquillity was speedily restored 
and the old system of management re-established. 
But though the Rani, as above stated, had been formally removed 
from the Regency, she never relinquished her hopes of a return to 
power. After repeatedly attempting to blacken the character of the 
Regent ministers, and as often failing in her attempts, as the charges 
advanced by her proved on investigation to be entirely groundless, she 
determined to change her plan of attack, and to apply all the means at 
her disposal to the establishing such an influence on the mind of the 
young Prince as would eventually throw him into her hands. With a 
view to this eud she revived a story which she had herself invented 
and circulated when Regent, of the Raja’s initiatory necklace* having 
been tied on by a favourite priest and emissary of her own, by name 
Sri’ Ram; and on the strength of this story, she asserted the right of 
this person to be elected Géré or spiritual adviser to the Raja, 
well knowing that if she could effect this object, she would secure to 
herself the greatest spiritual and political influence, and become de 
facto mistress of the state. 
The Regent ministers on the other hand had from the first attested 
that the pretensions of Parohit Sri’ Ram to the Girtship were 
altogether false and ridiculous; that the father of the Raja had ac- 
tually selected as Gérd for his child the superior of the very temple 
of which this Sri’ Ram was the mere Péjart or officiating priest; 
that, the circumstance of Sri’ Ram’s being a Péjarf was a sufficient 
refutation of his claim; as the Mehant or superior of a temple, alone, 
was qualified for the office of Géré; and that in addition to these 
proofs, Harr Das, the superior in question, was still living, and de- 
posed that he had tied on the necklace with his own hands during the 
life time, and in the presence of BaLpEo Sinqu. 
* The ceremony of tying on the necklace is performed when the Giéré is se- 
lected ; the Ch¢la, or disciple, being then an infant. This is preparatory, and in- 
tended to show that a selection has been made. When the disciple has arrived at 
the prescribed age, the ceremony of initiation is completed by the Gérd’s pro- 
nouncing the ‘‘ Gér Mantra,” or mystical charm in the ears of the Chéla, who 
thereby becomes a twice-born, or regenerated man. 
NN 2 
