Volume 1

Annals and antiquities of Rajastʼhan or, the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India / by Lieut.-Col. James Tod.

  • Tod, James, 1782-1835.
Date:
[1914]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Annals and antiquities of Rajastʼhan or, the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India / by Lieut.-Col. James Tod. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    graphers of Rajast’han, will continue until there shall arise in the com- munity a class sufficiently enlightened and independent, to look for nc other recompense for literary labour than public distinction. Still, however, these chroniclers dare utter truths, sometimes most unpalatable to their masters. When offended, or actuated by a virtuous indignation against immorality, they are fearless of consequences ; and woe to the individual who provokes them ! Many a resolution has sunk under the lash of their satire, which has condemned to eternal ridicule names that might otherwise have escaped notoriety. The vis, or poiscn of the bard, is more dreaded by the Rajpoot than the steel of the foe The absence of all mystery or reserve with regard to public affairs in the Rajpoot principalities, in which every individual takes an interest, from the noble to the porter at the city-gates, is of great advantage to the chronicler of events. When matters of moment in the disorganised state of the country rendered it imperative to observe secrecy, the Rana of Mewar, being applied to on the necessity of concealing them, rejoined as follows : “ this is Chaomookhi-ray ;1 Ekhnga the sovereign, I his vice- gerent ; in him I trust, and I have no secrets from my children.” To this publicity may be partly ascribed the inefficiency of every general alliar.ce against common foes ; but it gives a kind of patriarchal character to the government, and inspires, if not loyalty and patriotism in their most exalted sense, feelings at least much akin to them. A material drawback upon the value of these bardic histories is, tl.at they are confined almost exclusively to the martial exploits of their heroes, and to the rung-rin-bhom, or ‘ field of slaughter. Writing for the amme-i ment of a warlike race, the authors disregard civil matters and the arts and pursuits of peaceful life ; love and war are their favourite themes. Chund, the last of the great bards of India, tells us, indeed, in his preface, “ that he will give rules for governing empires ; the laws of, grammar and composition ; lessons in diplomacy, home and foreign, etc. . an ic fulfils his promise, by interspersing precepts on these points in various episodes throughout his work. . , Again : the bard, although he is admitted to the knowledge of all the secret springs which direct each measure of the government enters too deeply into the intrigues, as well as the levities, of the court, to be qualified to pronounce a sober judgment upon its acts. Nevertheless, although open to all these objections the works the native bards afford many valuable data, in facts, incidents, religious opinions, and traits of manners ; many of which, being caxdessly mt - duced, are thence to be regarded as the least suspicious land of historical evidence. In the heroic history of Pirtin-ra], by.Chund theie occur many geographical as well as historical details, m the description of his sovereign’s wars, of which the bard was an eye-witness, having been Ins friend, his herald, his ambassador, and finally discharging the office of accessory to his death, that he might sa\ c im r sin,T Gf The poetical histories of Chund were collected by the great Umra bin0 o Mewar, a patron of literature, as well as a warrior and a egis * „ ' • Another species of historical records is found m accountsgmen by the Brahmins of the endowments of the temples, the P i * Government of four mouths,’ alluding to the quadriform image of the tutelary divinity.