1837.] 



An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. 



01 



Passoury,* which varies in quantity, from about 100 begahs, to half, a 

 third or a quarter of that number, according to the size of the village 

 and supposed responsibility of the Patell. He also holds a portion of 

 Meerassy-land for which he pays rent. 



From the inhabitants he receives the following perquisites or dues. 

 Every householder presents him with one fowl annually, and every far- 

 mer gives him one seer of ghee ; if the farmer is very poor, the Patell 

 will be content with a half or quarter seer. Each farmer presents the 

 Wannolla (a sort of friendly offering) at the harvest time ; this is a 

 little of the produce of his fields, which may be about a paillie, or four 

 seers. Should the farmer have a large quantity of rice, nagly and 

 koorachny, the Patell will take about four seers of each,, and one or 

 two seers of any other grain he may have grown. 



In such villages or kushbahs, where fairs or markets are held, once 

 or twice a week, the Patell is entitled to a small quantity of the vege- 

 tables and fruits brought for sale. From the venders of uttur (essence 

 of roses, &c; the Patell occasionally claims a narrapoorah ; this 

 is a small packet containing a little koonkoo, missy, abheer, huPd,, 

 goolloll, and frankincence, each tied up separately. This is brought 

 into requisition after the birth of a child, w 7 hen the mother takes 

 the packet to the temple of Sutwaie,t when it is placed before the 

 shrine of the goddess, along with the offerings, and she is invoked to 

 bestow her favour on the infant. If there is a bunniah (a grocer) in the 

 village, he presents one s*oopary (nut) and a little tobacco daily to the 

 Patell, but he has to send for them. He also receives one seer of coarse 

 sugar at the Dussera, Hooly, Dewally, and a few other festivals. 



The PatelPs rank entitles him to the Maun or precedence at all pub- 

 lic ceremonies connected with their customs and habits. If there be a 

 mochy in the village, he must present the Patell with a pair of shoes 

 annually at the Dussera. On the occasion of a marriage, or the nam- 

 ing of a child, the Patell receives a soopary (nut). When sacrificing the 

 sheep at the Dussera he begins the ceremony. Also in the month of 

 Jesth, when the villagers kill a young buffalo, to propitiate Bhoany, 

 the Patell goes through the ceremony of wounding the animal slightly 

 (in any part of the body) with his sword. He is entitled to certain ser- 

 vices from the village Mhars. 



The Desmook of the district enjoys a few begahs of land-rent free, and 

 receives a Bheut rupee from each village in his district, besides he ma- 

 nages to get an additional rupee from each, as a substitute for a Pas- 

 soury, which he solicits the people to give him. One seer of ghee and 



* Passoury means two pieces of cloth that are stitched together at the sides, and then 

 doubled over, and stitched all round, and is used as a wrapper, 

 t The goddess that presides over childbirth. 



