Page:The Golden Book of India.djvu/16

xiv Parsis share with Muhammadans their lower titles. But where they have attained to higher rank than Khán Bahádur, it has been indicated by appointment to one of the Military Orders, or by the conferment of British Knighthood, or (in two cases) by a British Baronetcy. The ordinary sequence of rank, then, in the aristocracy of British India, is indicated by the subjoined tables:—

The eldest son of a Mahárájá or Rájá is called a Mahárájkumár (or Mahárájkunwár), or Rájkumár (or Rájkunwár), or simply Kumár (or Kunwár); and these titles have in some cases been formally conferred by the Government. Nawábzáda, or Mián, is the title given to the sons of Nawábs.

Among the Barons of the Punjab there is a remarkable uniformity of title; they are nearly all styled Sardár or Sardár Bahádur and their sons are often styled Mián, though this is also an independent title, as is Diwán also, in the Punjab. In Oudh and in the Central Provinces, on the other hand, there is the greatest diversity in the form of the territorial titles Thákur being the commonest title, but Rai is also frequent (and of far higher dignity than it seems to bear in some other Provinces), and so are Rájá, Diwán, and Rao.

The chiefs of the Shan and other tribes on the frontiers of Burma have the titles (equivalent to Rájá or Thákur, or other Indian titles) either of Sawbwa, or Myoza, or Ngwegunhmu.

But the regular Burmese titles ordinarily conferred by the British Government are these:—

(1) Ahmúdan gaung Tazeik-ya Min (meaning "Recipient of a Medal for Good Service"), indicated by the letters A.T.M. after the name—much as the Companionship of the Bath in England is indicated by the letters C.B.

(2) Kyet Thaye zaung shwe Salwe ya Min (meaning "Recipient of the Gold Chain of Honour"), indicated by the letters K.S.M. after the name.

(3) Thuye-gaung Ngweda ya Min (meaning " Recipient of the Silver Sword for Bravery"), indicated by the letters T.D.M. after the name.

It remains to notice two Imperial titles of ancient origin, as indicating exceptional distinction in learning, that were revived on the auspicious