Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/233

KHE 225 mild and moderate constitutional monarchy. The great limitation of the rája's power is shown by the fact that in some The limitation of the rája's power. states there was a bereditary diwán, a civil manager, and a hereditary military leader. Such are still found in Tra- vancore and Napál, and the germs of the system are met with in eastern Ondh, but there is nothing of the kind in Kheri. The rája in ordinary life was in no way distinguished from his subjects. He dined with his clans- men at every public celebration, and the frequent pipe passed round to all the brotherhood was the symbol of their kindred. His military force con- sisted solely of his brotherhood, and of those to whom he was related by marriage ; for one of the distinguishing features of the Chhattris and Brahmans as opposed to all or most other castes was that they could not marry in their own subdivision of the clan, but must marry into another. A guarantee was thus given not only that the mischievous marriages of relations should be hindered, but that the ramification of kindred should extend over a very large and ever increasing section of the Chhattri race, thus uniting all theclan from therája to the peasantinone community of blood and of interest. It was consequently impossible for the rája wrongfully to deprive one of his clansmen of the allowances or grants of land which were made to each of them whithout offending all; and he could not afford to despise the sentiments of his whole army. Outside his clan his power was less unlimited. Brahmans were protected by custom and religion, culti- Fators by the abundance of land, and the possibility of fight if oppressed; tradesmen and artizans were carefully guarded ; low castes like Chamárs were no doubt harshly treated, if population pressed on the means of subsistence, or if their masters were capricious. In judicial matters the rája rarely interfered; if one of his ryots was murdered he cxacted a small fine from the offender, Rs. 50 or so, as compensation to himself for the loss of a tenant. Here and there even in Oudh we can find a Hindu ráj which circum- stances have combined to maintain in a condition something similar to the above. I would point to that of Khairigarh iv Kheri. It is an ancient ráj, although the present occupants, themselves of a noble family, have only succeeded to principality within the last forty years. Here all the elements of the archaic Hindu system are to be found, a small body of Chhattri kinsinen exercising great influence and possessing large fiefs, Brahmans holding religious grants, the mass of the population paying moderate rents in great ineasure determined by custom, and leaving them sufficient for a most comfortable subsistence. A cluster of village maidens at a well in Khairigarh glisten with silver ornaments, and the whole village tinkles like a sheepfold as the white stranger passes through on his elephant. The rája occupies a small unpretending house, and amuses himself with his tenants in hunting and fishing. Here the Nusal- man has had little influence for several hundreds of years. The last time one of the king's generals attempted to penetrate to Khairigarh, he, with a large portion of his force, died of fever in the morasses. The rajas overthrown by the Moslems.-- As a rule, however, Musalmans whenever they became more near, intrusive, and authoritative overthrew the råja, or endeavoured to do so. In the first place he was a rival in