66 Some Account of the Rdmsanehis, a Sect of [Feb. 



Sadha Ram, Governor of Bhilwara, a Bania of the Deopura tribe, 

 was one of Ramcharan' s bitterest enemies : he on one occasion dis- 

 patched a Singi* to Shahpura to put the schismatic to death ; but 

 the latter, who probably got information of his purpose, bent his 

 head low as the man entered, and told him to perform the service on 

 which he was deputed, but to remember that as the Almighty alone 

 bestowed life, man could not destroy it, without the Divine permission. 

 The hired assassin trembled at what he took for preternatural foresight 

 in his intended victim, fell at his feet, and asked forgiveness. 



Ramcharan composed 36,250 Sabd or hymns, each containing from 

 five to eleven verses : thirty-two letters go to each aslok, which give the 

 above total. He was succeeded in the spiritual directorship by Ram- 

 jan, one of his twelve Chela or disciples. This person was born at the 

 village of Sirsin, embraced the new doctrine in 1768, and died at 

 Shahpura in 1809, after a reign of 12 years, 2 months and 6 days. 

 He composed 18,000 Sabd. 



The third hierarch, Dulha Ram, became a Ramsanehi, A. D. 1776, 

 and died in 1824 : he wrote ten thousand Sabd, and about four thou- 

 sand saki, or epic poems, in praise of men eminent for virtue not only 

 of his own faith, but among Hindus, Muhammedans, and others. 



Chatra Das was converted at the early age of twelve years, ascend- 

 ed the thronef in 1824, and died in 1831. He is said to have written 

 1000 Sabd, but would not permit their being committed to paper. 



Narayan Das, the fourth in descent from Ramcharan, now fills the 

 chair of spiritual director. 



On the demise of a Mahant, an assembly of the priests and laity 

 is convened at Shahpura to elect a successor, who is chosen with re- 

 ference alone to his wisdom and virtues. He is installed on the 

 thirteenth day after the office falls vacant, on which occasion the By- 

 ragis entertain the entire Hindu population of the town with a ban- 

 quet of sweetmeats at the temple within the city-walls, known by the 

 name of RammeriJ. 



The only difference between the garb of the Mahant and that of the 

 priests consists in the quality of the cloth, which is made of cotton of 



* Singi. A particular cast of Hindus, so called in Rajwara from their con- 

 ducting a number of their own, and of the Mahesri and Suruogi tribes of Banias, 

 to noted places of pilgrimage, free of all expence. The word is evidently a cor- 

 ruption from Sangi a companion. 



•f Gaddi is the term invariably applied to the cushion of the superior and 

 Maharaj (mighty prince), the only title by which he is addressed and spoken of by 

 the Ramsanehis. They approach him with profound obeisance, reverently 

 touch his foot, and lay their foreheads to the marble on which he is seated. 



J Meri signifies aa upper-roomed house in the language of Rajwara. 



