or BHARATAVAKSA OE INDIA. 
77 
" in it, and to their decision alone it is sometimes referred. 
" The Mhar is emphatically called the village-eye.'''"^^ 
The Maravar. 
The Maravar in Madura and Tinnevelly likewise claim 
the position of Rajputs, and if we regard them as a warrior 
tribe, they are entitled to this distinction. They are also 
most probably in some way connected with the Mars of the 
north. The Maravar have to a great extent preserved 
theii" freedom and independence. They are brave, warlike, 
and self-willed like most semi -barbarous races, but they 
have latterly taken to more peaceful pursuits than they used 
to follow formerly. They were once very numerous, but 
are now greatly reduced in numbers. Their chief is the 
Setiqyati of Ramndd, one of the oldest and most respected 
princes in Southern India, and who is still highly honored by, 
^8 See this extract from Mr. E. N. Gooddine's Report on the " Village 
Communities of the Dekhan," in vol. II, pp. 207-208 of Eev. M. A. Sher- 
ring's Hindti Tribes and Castes, as well as Sherring's fui'ther remarks. 
Mr. W. F. Sinclair says (see Indian Antiquaiy, vol. Ill, 1874, pp. 130, 
131): "The Mahdrs or Bhcis are the most important caste of Parwaris. 
Whether they are the aborigines of the countrj^ or not, there does not seem 
to he any way of deciding ; but it seems to me that the term Maharashtra, 
generally translated ' country of the Marathas,' is at least as likely to 
mean ' country of the Mahars and I throw this out for more learned 
Sanskritists to decide upon. However, thej' are a very important people in 
it now, nor must it be supposed that their position, though socially low, 
is without its rights and dignities . . . The Mahar, as I have mentioned, 
is not only the guardian of boundaries, but also of the public peace and 
health, as watchman and scavenger ; of communications, for he should guide 
travellers and make petty road repairs ; and of the public treasure and 
coiTespondence, for it is his duty to carry the revenue to the treasury, and 
convej' all messages on account of Government. It will be seen that he 
has no sinecure (and) . . it is obvious that he is not one ' of the Queen's 
bad bargains.' These duties belong to the M.thar as yeskar, or village 
watchman ... But the Taral or gate-ward, an oflScer found in a good 
many villages, is generally also a Mahar by caste. The term Bhed is simply 
Hindustani for a Mahar and is found as we go northward." Compare " Two 
Lectures on the Aboriginal Race of India," by Lieut. -General Briggs, Royal 
Asiatic Soc. Journa!, XIII, pp. 275-309, specially p. 281. See my remarks 
about the origin of the term Mahardstra on pp. -50 and .51. 
II 
