Page:The Golden Book of India.djvu/14

xii is Nawáb (with Begam as its feminine form); usually with the honorific suffix of Bahádur, and in forms of courteous address with that of Saheb. The title of Sháhzáda ("King's Son") is given to some descendants of the Tippu dynasty of Mysore, to some descendants of former Amirs of Kábul, and to some descendants of the old Kings of Oudh. Other Muhammadan titles—sometimes equivalent in consideration to Nawáb, but not always—are Wali, Sultán, Amir, Mir, Mirza, Mián, Khán; also Sardár and Diwán, which are common to Hindus and Muhammadans.

Among the Ruling Chiefs there are some exceptional titles, due sometimes to differences of language, sometimes to other known causes, and sometimes of unknown origin. The first and greatest of all the Princes of the Empire is always known as the Nizám of the Deccan—a relic of the time when His Highness's ancestors were mediatised kings under the Emperor of Delhi. The title, though implying in itself fealty to an Imperial authority, is one of the highest dignity, and can hardly be translated by any European title less august than "king"; it is therefore a suitable title for the first mediatised prince under the Indian Empire, charged with the absolute rule over an area more than twice as large as that of Bavaria and Saxony combined, and a population greater than that of the two kingdoms named.

Holkar and Sindhia are rather of the nature of dynastic names than of titles; and the Gaekwár (the title of one of the greatest of the Ruling Chiefs) is of a similar nature, having been originally a caste name ; and all these three are relics of the Mahratta Empire.

Among the exceptional titles due to difference of language may be noticed that of Jám, which is of Sindhi or Baluch origin; there are two Jáms of ruling rank in Káthiáwár, and one in Baluchistán. The Ruler of Spiti, an outlying Himalayan principality in the Punjab, is known as the Nono of Spiti—"Nono" being a Thibetan form. One of the Assamese Rájás is known as "the Bohmong"; another simply as "the Mong Rájá." Some of the Madras Chiefs have peculiar titles of local origin. Thus, the Maharájá of Calicut bears the historic title of "the Zamorin"—probably a local corruption of the Malayalam Samundri, or "sea-king." The Maharaja of Puducotta is known as "the Tondiman"; and some other Madras Rajas are called "the Valiya Rájá." Nine Feudatories (eight in the Bombay Presidency and one at Muscat in Arabia) bear the title of Sultán. The descendants of the ancient chiefs of Sind are called Mirs; the Chief of Afghanistan is called Amir. The Chief of Kalát in Baluchistán is both a Mir and a Wali, and has been created (like the Amir of Afghanistan) a Grand Commander of the Star of India. In the Aden territory, which is subordinate to the Bombay Government, some of the chiefs bear the title of Girad, which is of Somáli origin; others are known by the Arabic titles of Sultán, Amir, and Shaikh. Some of the heads of Hindu religious bodies are hereditary feudal chiefs; and their title is Mahant.

All, or most of the titles mentioned above, though recognised by the British Government, have come down to us from earlier times. Her