1850.] 



Sircar of Pytun* 



271 



The annual cost for food for a Koonbee supposing lie had to pur- 

 chase all he consumed, would be as follows. 



The quantity of grain he eats daily is about one seer (32 ounces 

 avoirdupoise) or 9 maunds yearly ; the cost of which would be Ru- 

 pees 7-8-0 ; f of a seer of salt monthly would cost 2 pice with about 

 15 pice for tobacco and vegetable : altogether bringing his yearly 

 expense for food, up to about 12 Rupees. 



The clothing in daily use is very slight, and consists 

 of nothing but a waist cloth, turban, and black blan- 

 ket, which latter article is made to serve a variety of purposes ; the 

 holiday costume is respectable and though of coarse materials has a 

 comfortable appearance ; it consists of an angurka or frock of coarse 

 white cloth, lasts a year and costs half a Rupee; a cholna or a pair 

 of drawers made of the same coarse material drawn tight at the knee, 

 reaching half way down the calf, lasts for six months, value half a 

 Rupee ; a dhotee or coarse waist cloth, last six months, and costs 

 one Rupee, a jote or cloth carried over the shoulders, and made 

 useful for carrying articles, lasts one year, value one Rupee ; a 

 Iunghotee, worn for six months, and costs 8 pice ; renewing a pair 

 of shoes or sandals, worn for six months, value one Rupee, one 

 kumblee or black blanket, renewed every year, costing from 12 

 annas to a rupee ; a turban lasts six months, value from one to 

 three Rupees ; ornaments of gold and silver of any value, are never 

 seen ; such as are worn, being of the baser metals, or of glass ; if 

 by chance the Koonbee's prospects be brightened it would only serve 

 to excite the cupidity of his superiors by ostentatious display, what 

 can be saved from the Mamlutdar, is generally squandered in the 

 absurd extravagance of marriage and festivals. The expense of a 

 year's clothing w r ould appear therefore amounting to about 8 or 

 9 Rupees. 



It is remarkable that though Pytun was once the 

 capital of the Buddist monarch Salivhan, not a Testige 

 of such a faith remains in the neighbourhood, excepting indeed in 

 the caves of the adjoining Sircar of Doulutabad ; of the Jhain faith 

 that succeeded, there are now but two temples ; one at Pytun, and 

 the other at Kusnair. The oldest temples in the Sircar are those 

 dedicated to Mahadeo, some of which are supposed by the inhabi- 

 tants to have been erected by Ahmaud Punt, the minister of Ramjhee 

 Raja of Deoghiri, who according to the Mackenzie Manuscripts reign- 



