1837.] condition of Oujcin or Ujjayani. 841 



history of the Khan I am ignorant. I was equally unsuccessful in 

 learning any thing regarding the cemeteries of two saints, Pi'r 

 Macham and Shah Dawbl, both of which are beautifully situated 

 in groves outside the city. A singular superstition is connected with 

 the burial place of a third saint, Pi/r Khir, or as he is more properly 

 called Pi'r Karra ; the last name originating in the belief that be- 

 fore the suppliant at the tomb can take rest, his wishes are granted. 



Women desirous of progeny bake four flat cakes of flour, and 

 crowning them with small pieces of meat and fruits, set them floating 

 in a baoli near the tomb. If the saint is propitious, two are said to 

 sink, and the other two having been first carried to the opposite side 

 of the well, return back to the happy votaress. 



Asa not inaccurate method of calculating the Musalman population 

 of an Indian city, I visited on the Bakrid, the idgdh at which all 

 the faithful are sure to be present, whom age and sickness have not 

 confined to the house*. 



An immense crowd had assembled but a large proportion of it was 

 composed of idle spectators, or petty merchants, and I should not 

 suppose that the number of Musalmans was greater than 2,000. 



The Musalmans agree better with the idol-loving Hindus, than 

 with the followers of their own prophet, the bohras. 



The Mahrattas and Musalmans, indeed have in a strange manner 

 amalgamated their religions. Ami'r Khan paid a brahman to pray 

 for him at Rashkar : Holkar always provides two tazeeas at the mo- 

 harram, and gives presents to the water-carriers, while many of the 

 Mahrattas appear dressed in green turbans, &c. on the katil ka rat. 

 But the bohra can never conceal his opinions, is for every blurting out 

 his creed, and seems longing to have a hearty curse at the three ca- 

 liphs. Their chief mulla was my constant companion during my visit 

 to Oujein. Sitting on one occasion with a munshi and myself, he asked 

 interminable questions regarding our manners and customs. But the 

 day was hot and the mulla is old : he grew sleepy : " Iladmirait ton- 

 jours mais is bailloit quel que fois" and every yawn was finished off 

 with a piously prolonged Y — a A — 1 — i. These exclamations became 

 at last so frequent that I could perceive my munshi wincing under the 

 infliction, and he told me afterwards that he should have been much 

 offended " but he's an old man and thank God I've seen the world." As 

 might be expected quarrels between the bohras and sunnis, are not 

 unfrequent, and in a fray which occurred at Mandiswara a few years ago, 



* This method will not apply to a cantonment, where each regiment has its 

 private praying-place. 



