OR CUTTACK. 219 



India generally, and that a careful enquirer would not fail to discern m 

 every quarter of the* country, obvious traces of the former existence of 

 such a system, however irregularly defined, and liable to variation in the 

 details, from local peculiarities. The subject lias not hitherto met with that 

 attention which its importance, more especially when viewed in connection 

 with the much disputed question of Zemindari rights, unquestionably me- 

 rits. Some writers indeed have treated with utter contempt and derision, 

 the notion of the ■ existence of any analogy whatever between the ancient 

 institutions of India, and the feudal system of Europe. Others, however, 

 of equal or greater authority, have not been able to resist the striking evi- 

 dence of such affinity which presents itself in every province of India, 

 where the Hindu form of government has been little impaired or modi- 

 fied. Thus, Sir J. ..Malcolm, page 375 of his valuable report on Malwa, 

 observes, " The principle of this part of a "Raj or Rajput principality, dif- 

 fers little from that feudal system which formerly existed in Europe, and 

 is liable to the same vicissitudes in the relations and powers of the respec- 

 tive parties." But every one knows that the Rajput, is only one branch or 



epithet of the great Regal and Military caste amongst the Hindus, called 

 the Cshetriya (Khetri), and anciently till principalities and kingdoms might 

 in one sense be designated Rajput. Captain MacMurdo in an excel- 



lent paper on the province of Cutch,in vol.ii. Bombay Transactions, states, 

 " The government of Gutch is that of a pure aristocracy, in which the 

 power is vested in a variety of chiefs on their respective territories, which 

 bear a strong resemblance to the feudal baronies. These cliiefs have 

 a head who is entitled Rao, to whom they owe the duty of military service 

 with their relations and followers when called upon." The chiefs in ques- 

 tion are afterwards described to be Rajputs. -Colonel Wilford expressly 

 .applies the title of Barons, to the inferior Khetris, in his historical Essays 

 on ancient India. In the essay on Anugangain we find the following 

 curious *ml apposite passage, " Like Parasurama he (Maha Bali) either 

 destroyed or drove out of his dominions fhe remnant of the Cshetris or 

 JVlUitary tribe, unxl. placed Sudras^n their -room. These were the 23an»t£ 



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