1849.] 



Circar of TVdrunguL 



dormant rights— as from the Surdeshmookh of Elgundel deriving 

 a certain pecuniary grant from his position independent of his 

 dues as a simple Deshmookh. 



The present Surdeshmookh is of the Coonbee caste— a turbu- 

 lent unscrupulous man, and likely enough to give trouble to a 

 weak G-overnment. His name is Venkut Narsinha, and he shares 

 with a brother, Yermojee, the rights of Surdeshmookh — he resides 

 at Atmacoor„ 



The Surdeshpundyah, Mullya by name, is a Brahmin, and has the 

 unenviable fame of being the worst Zemindar in the circar. He 

 lives at Mutwarrah, but the other members of the family live else- 

 where. 



Deskmoolck and Deshpundyah. — These are named indiscrimi- 

 nately zemindars — the former are usually Coonbees or Telmas, the 

 latter Brahmins, but the Zemindars of the Hussenabad and Cota- 

 cundah pergunnas are Brahmins, and exercise the rights and re- 

 ceive the fees of both Deshmookh and Deshpundyah. One of their 

 ancestors being Peshcar to Tannah Shah, the uncle and Dewan of 

 one of the last of the Affghan race of Grolcondah kings, had this 

 grant accorded to him in consideration of his services — but in fact 

 the concession is now of little use, as, by mutual agreement, the 

 Deshmookhs and Deshpundyahs have yielded up their rights to 

 each other, on condition of being allowed to hold each his own vil- 

 lages, independent of the interference of the other either for pro- 

 fit or control, thus obliterating all traces of their original connec- 

 tion. The fees received by them are five per cent, on the revenue 

 with two beegas of land at each village, which maybe reckoned five 

 , per cent, more ; they have also the care of the Sadar Khurch, an 

 allowance to each village from Grovernment of five per cent, on its 

 revenue, for the repair of tanks, cutcherry expenses, alms to beg- 

 gars, and allowance to dancing women called Doombarnees.. They 

 have besides claims on the produce of the date and palmyra trees, 

 a share in the to^ n, transit duties and local duties ; they are the 

 head of the police, and being accountable to Government for all 

 murders, robberies, and other violences perpetrated in their seve- 

 ral domains, must proceed posse comitatus to the apprehension of 

 the criminal. They enforce the decision of punchayets, collect the 

 revenue of their district— in short, exercise the functions of justice 

 of the peace, sheriff, and land steward to Government. 



