MARCH, 1873.]

CORRESPONDENCE, &c.

Query. THIRTEEN miles north of the city of Dacca is a village called Uttarkhān, with an old tomb said to be that of Shāh Kabir. His descendants possess a sanad dated A. H. 1047 (1637), conferring a piece of land rent-free on “Khandesh 'urf Burhanpūr Kabir Wāli Agha.” In addition, he was allowed a sum of money, which, with the rent of the lăkhirāj land, amounted to eight rupees a day. Can any of your readers give further particulars regarding this Shāh Kabir 2 The last king of Khandesh was Bahadur Shāh, or, as he is styled by Prinsep, Bahadur Khān Turki, who, after the conquest of his country by Akbar in A. D. 1600, was imprisoned in Gwalior. Was Shāh Kabir his son 2 JAMES WISE.

97

doubt—akin to his expression for ‘four, I shall, on its discovery, derive it from Nâlûr, and not Nālūr from it.

The numeration of the Kerang Kāpus seems to be better developed than that of the Gadabas. The two belong, evidently, to the same family; and it is curious that the Gadaba, when casting about for an expression for “seven,' should have taken an Uriya word, and not one of the dialect akin to his own. It will be seen that the Kerang Kāpu has a decimal notation.

I am inclined to think that this

idea must have been borrowed from the Aryan type, as I have a list of Gadaba numerals which betray a leaning towards a quaternary notation. In the table alluded to, ‘eight' is called Wumbāru punja, i.e., 2-4, and 9 Vumbāru-punja-moi, i.e., 2-4-1. H. G. T.

-

Vizagapatam, 10th Feb. 1873.

Dacca, 20th Feb. 1873.

THE SAURASHTRA SOCIETY. REMARK ON THE NOTE CONCERNING ANCIENT DRAVIDIAN NUMERALS.*

THE Dravidian tribes along the crests of the Eastern Ghâts, and those who inhabit the interior

of the country between the Godavari and the Mahā nadi, are notably deficient in the art of counting. Towards the north, where their speech has been influenced by Uriya immigrants, the higher numbers are adopted from that language; and about the Godavari, where the Telugus have come among

them, the aborigines have made use of Telugu for this purpose. I give a few examples — Köi–Orrote, Irruvâr, Muvvár, Nälär, Aivvár, Aruvâr, Veduvâr, Ennunidi (Tel.f), Tommidi (Tel.), Padi (Tel.), &c. Gadaba–Moi, Umbār, Iyen, Mun, Mulloi, Tiyir, Sät (Uriya), A't (Ur.), No (Ur), &c., &c.

Kerang Kāpu—Moi, Umbār, Ingi, O, Malloi, Turu, Gū, Tammār, Santing, Gö'a, Gom moi, Gombāru, Gongi, Göuk, Gom mali, Gotturu, Gogu, Gottamar, Gosanting, Salgam, &c.

Pengu Porja—Ruán, Ria, Tin (Ur.), Châr (Ur.), Pánch (Ur.), &c., &c. Durwa Gonds—Undi, Rand, Mund, Nălu, Hânig, Härung, Sät (Ur.), A’t (Ur.), No (Ur.), &c., &c. -

Selliya Porja–Undre, Rundi, Mundri, Nalge, Aidu (Tel.), A'ru (Tel.), &c., &c.

Tagara Porja–Vakat, Irudu, Mundu, Nālu, Chendu, Soitan, Sät (Ur.), A't (Ur.), &c. These tribes are classed as Dravidian and Kolair

ean, the Kerang Kāpu and the Gadaba being of the latter strain, and the rest of the former. Of the

Dravidians, none can count in their own language beyond ‘seven.' The Penga Porja, indeed, has had to borrow a word for ‘three.'

No attempt has

yet been made to study the derivation of these words; but if the Köi has a word signifying ‘to be nice' or ‘to be beautiful'—which I am inclined to

A SOCIETY has been formed in Kathiawar for the

purpose of investigating the geography, natural history, ethnology, antiquities, and folklore of the peninsula. The officers and chiefs of the province, and many of the Pandits and men of learning and

influence among the natives, are joining, and hopes are entertained that the Society will facilitate the efforts of antiquaries in Bombay and elsewhere, at least so far as pointing out to them the places that ought to be examined. PARJANYA, THE RAIN GOD.

[As represented in the hymns of the Rig-Veda, v. 83, an i vii. 100, 101.] I.

Parjanya laud with praises meet ; The fertilizing god extol And bless, of living things the soul, Whose advent men, exulting, greet. II.

In steeds a charioteer has spurred, His watery scouts before him fly. Far off, within the darkening sky, The thundering lion's roar is heard. III.

Fierce blow the blasts, the lightnings flash, Men, cattle, flee in wild affright. Avenging bolts the wicked smite; The guiltless quake to hear the crash. IV.

Malignant demons stricken lie ; The forest's leafy monarchs tall Convulsed, uprooted, prostrate fall, Whene'er Parjanya passes by, V

Urge on thy car, Parjanya, haste, And, as thou sweepest o'er the sky, Thine ample waterskins; untie To slake with showers the thirsty waste. 1 This image is, of course, found in the original. It is

• See Ind. Ant. Vol. II. p. 24.

well known that in Eastern countries skins are used for

f Tel. = Telugu. Ur. = Uriya.

preserving wine and carrying water.