Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/245

 BAH

16?

tKus they took 5| of the new tola instead of 5, and it will be observed that they thereby retained the chhatak at 60 ni5,shas. They avoided, in fact, the interference of the coinage and its variation with their weights by increasing the number of the coins when the latter were diminished in weight.

So far therefore the two metrical systems proceed together ; they diverge at the ser ; six and a half chhataks go theoretically to the kachcha ser, and sixteen to the other. The former is evidently the old system of North India adopted by Akbar, whose maund was 34| local maunds above described.

lbs.,

just about the average of the

The present English bazar ser being equal to 87f tolas of 173 grains each or 35J ounces, the local maund is equal to about 17J sers or 38 lbs. avoirdupois when the local panseri consists of 32 gandas or chhatak ; if it is less, as sometimes of 30 gandas, a proportional reduction must be made. In order to find out what are the values of the local weights, this last is the question always to be asked. The panseri and the ganda are the local units ; the number of rupees or tolas in the ganda must also be asked, because six rupees is the number in use here, but four rupees in Gonda,{vide that article); the panseri contains 25 to 28 gandas of six rupees. When the panseri equals B2^ gandas the Bahraich kachcha ser iS equal therefore to 6§- chhataks of the Government ser and the local maund conThe panseri contains 2^ Government sers, or tains 17 Government sers. about 79-5- ounces of 437J grains the ser is therefore almost equal to a pound avoirdupois, and for small measurements may be used as its

equivalent.

The universal use of the panseri, as also of the term pdnohonmdl, for the entire produce of the field, and the assignment of one equal share, apart from these five, viz., of one-sixth to the ploughman or actual labourer, all seem a part of the ancient system recorded by Manti, under which oneIn Bahraich there is, as stated in the settlement fifth went to the king. It is report, a local large or pakka ser but its derivation is not given. derived from the panseri of 32 gandas and is half of that weight. The origin of this local unit is unknown, and its application is very limited in Bahraich itself the batisi panseri is used collaterally, and exclusively in the neighbouring local marts.

large ser is 16 gandas, and as the Government ser is supposed to the present grain rates are found by deducting one-eighth gandas, be 14 from the market rate of the larger or lambari ser. But this is not strictly If the ganda is calculated as equal to six of the present rupee correct. weighing 180 grains, then a pound avoirdupois is equal to 6'47 gandas, and the standard ser to 14-26 gandas. The native avoided any such complication by using a ganda of 5f Government tolas or rupees.

The

In the above calculation I have used the following elements of ac180 grains avoirdupois, about eighty-five of One tola or rupee count ser Government a form 5f tolas = one ganda sixteen gandas = which one local large ser fourteen, or more correctly fourteen and one quarter, one Government ser.

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