on one side and maintenance on the other, and the dancing girl, who left a trooper, perhaps did mutáa with a prime minister immediately afterwards. Mutáa is recognized by the Shia religion as a legitimate connexion while it lasts; the Sunnis do not so regard it; it is a civil contract whose breach on either side absolves the other party from his engagement, but entails no penalties. Missi is still more curious; it seems to have Japanese analogies, but the contract seems to be more summary than the mutáa. Dancing girls often carry on the profession of prostitutes. They are not allowed to bear children, but girls are purchased from other castes as wives for their brothers; they will not marry with Juláhas. There is one subordinate caste of paturias, the Dom or Mírási; they used to perform only before women, but they have lately abandoned this custom.
The instruments used are the sarangi or fiddle, the manjira or cymbals, the tabla or drum. A band consists of these three instruments and a dancing girl; an evening entertainment cost, from Rs. 3 to Rs. 250. The ordinary fee for the best singer in Lucknow is Rs. 15 but if she goes to a marriage or birth, she will get Rs. 200 or Rs. 300. The band is paid at 5 annas in the rupee. They will attend Hindu festivals such as the Holi, but some of the first-class ones object to being sprinkled with red powder or ráng. The jewels and lace of an average festival dress of a first-class dancing girl will cost Rs. 1,000 to 10,000. At the dances everything is conducted with decorum; the singer is attended to, and from the entertainment by her mother or guardian (naeka) and bandsmen.
As Lucknow, notwithstanding its decay, is still the admitted capital of Hindustani music, song, and poetry, these details are not without interest.
Lucknow theatricals.—The change of rulers has apparently benefited these performances; the opportunity of ridiculing the governing class under a safe guise is too good to be lost, while the strange and in some points abhorrent features of English life furnish ample material for witty mimics. The court of justice, the police officer, the Englishmen at home, with all their defects, their ignorance of the language, their dependence upon their court officers, their lassitude and neglect of duty, their cheroots and brandy, are mercilessly exposed, yet so much verisimilitude is preserved that they are never represented as themselves cruel or corrupt. The practices of thieves, the oppressions of landlords, of native officials, are also favourite subjects of the Lucknow dramatist.
Luknow garrison.—Lucknow is the headquarters of the Oudh Division, The Cantonment is healthy and well situated, about three miles to the east of the city, and the garrison consists of three batteries of artillery, one regiment of British cavalry, two of British infantry, one of native cavalry, and two of native infantry. A battery of artillery and a detachment of native infantry at present occupy fort Machchhi Bhawan which commands the city, but it is the intention of Government to give up this fort and build another on a fresh site which has yet to be fixed.
MACHHLIGAON[1]—Pargana Manikapur—Tahsil Utraula—District Gonda.—A village of 1,781 inhabitants, chiefly Hindus. Is the chief bazar
- ↑ By Mr. W. C. Bennett, C.S., Assistant Commissioner,
