Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/174

114 postfix. There are two such families, having two brothers for their respective heads. They are at enmity with each other, and their quarrel has led to outrage and murder amongst their dependants by which they have been disgraced; but their descent and position still procure for them great respect from the Musalman population, although not equal to that which their fathers enjoyed. The second purpose is the maintenance of public worship which is conducted daily at the stated hours of prayer, and attended by the leading persons belonging to the establishment in an ancient-looking but substantial mosque built from the revenues of the estate. The third purpose is the entertainment of fakirs or religious mendicants of the Mahomedan faith, several of whom, when I visited the institution, were lying about very filthy and some sick. The fourth purpose is the support of the madrasa, of which I have now to speak in detail.

In the madrasa both Persian and Arabic are taught. I have before considered Persian as a branch of elementary instruction; but as it professedly does not here terminate in itself, but is regarded as an introduction to Arabic, it must, in the present instance, be viewed as a branch of a learned education.

The name of the Persian teacher is Nissar Ali. He is about 60 years of age, and receives eight rupees per month, besides lodging, food, washing, and other personal expenses, together with presents at the principal Mahomedan festivals. He receives every thing in short of daily use and consumption except clothes which he provides for himself. The Persian scholars are 48, of whom 12 belong to the village of Kusbeh Bagha, and 36 to other villages, 12 of the latter having been absent at the time of my visit. All the pupils of both descriptions, besides instruction, receive lodging, clothing, food, washing, oil, and stationery, including what is necessary for copying manuscripts to be used as text-books. The Persian course of study, commencing with Alif Be, proceeds to the formal reading of the Koran and thence to the Pandnameh, Amadnameh, Gulistan, Bostan, Joseph and Zuleikha, Jami-ul-Kawanin, Insha Yar Mahomed, Secandarnameh, Bahar Danish, Abulfazl, &c.

The name of the Arabic teacher is Abdul Azim. He was absent at the time of my visit. He was stated to be about 50 years of age, and he receives 40 Rupees a month with the same perquisites enjoyed by the Persian teacher. The number of Arabic students is seven, of whom two belong to the village of Kusbeh Bagha and five to other villages. Of the five, three were declared to be absent, and thus four students of Arabic should have been produced, but only two made their appearance. They have the same allowances and accommodations as the Persian scholars. The course of Arabic study includes the Mizam, Munshaib, Tasrif, Sarf Mir, Miat Amil, and Sharh-i-Miat Amil; and beyond this last-mentioned work no student had advanced.