Page:The Golden Book of India.djvu/13

Rh The majority of these titles are Hindu (derived chiefly from the Sanskrit language), or Muhammadan (derived chiefly from the Persian). The Burmese titles, though lengthy, are few in number; while still fewer are Arakanese (or Magh), Thibetan, Afghan, Baluch, Somáli, etc. Two distinguished Parsi families have received the English title of Baronet; while one Madras family, the descendants of the old Nawábs of the Carnatic, has the English title of "Prince of Arcot," called also "Amir-i-Arcot." The title of Prince is also often given by courtesy as the English rendering of the title of "Sháhzáda," conferred by Her Majesty the Empress on certain descendants of the Tippu dynasty of Mysore, of the old kings of Oudh, and of former Amirs of Afghanistan.

Some Indian titles are personal; others have been recognised by Her Majesty as hereditary. It is intended in this work to distinguish those which are hereditary from those which are personal.

In the list of one hundred and ninety-six titles mentioned above (which is given below, in section of this Introduction, with a glossary of their meanings where known), some are specific titles, analogous to the English "Duke," "Earl," etc.; such are Mahárájá, Rájá, Nawáb. Some are descriptive titles, somewhat analogous to the "Defender of the Faith" borne by our Gracious Sovereign; such are Shamsher Jang ("The Sword of War"), a title borne by His Highness the Mahárájá of Travancore, and Fath Jang, one of the many titles borne by His Highness the Nizám of the Deccan. Titles of the latter form are generally confined to a single personage or dynasty; but a few are common to more than one State, as Lokendra ("Protector of the World"), borne by the Chiefs of Dholpur and Dattia.

The normal or typical title of Chiefs or Nobles of Hindu descent is Rájá (in the feminine Ráni), or some of its numerous kindred forms. Some of the latter are Ráná, Rao, Ráwal, Ráwat, Rai, Raikwár, Raikbár, Raikat. To these is added, to indicate excess of rank, the prefix Mahá ("Great"), as in Mahárájá, Maháráná, Mahárao, Mahárájá-Ráná, etc. The affix Bahádur ("Brave," "The Hero") is very commonly added (as an extra honorific) to all Indian titles, Muhammadan as well as Hindu, and is placed at the end of the name, much like the English "Esquire." Saheb is a somewhat similar affix, and is very commonly used as a courteous form of address; when used as the supplement of a title it indicates a rank somewhat less than Bahádur, thus Rao Bahádur and Khán Bahádur are titles usually of rather more consideration than Rao Saheb or Khán Saheb. Thákur is also a frequently-used Hindu title. Some important feudatory Chiefs bear no other title, but it usually is of less consideration than Rájá.

Diwán and Sardár are titles very similar in character to that of Thákur; but they are common to Hindus and Muhammadans.

The normal or typical title of a Chief or Noble of Muhammadan descent