Page:The Golden Book of India.djvu/17

Rh occasion of Her Majesty's Jubilee. These are Mahámahopádhyáya for Hindus, and Shams-ul-Ulama for Muhammadans. It is noteworthy, as showing a wise regard for that reverence which great erudition has always commanded in the East, that holders of these titles, ranking equally among themselves according to date of creation, take rank directly after titular Rájás and Nawábs; and thus the dignity is rendered somewhat analogous to the high Dignity of a Privy Councillor in the United Kingdom.

There are many titles habitually used in India and a few have been admitted into this work that are not substantive titles in the strictest sense of the term, but may best be described as courtesy titles. Of this nature is the title of "Prince" in most cases though not in the case of the Prince of Arcot, who enjoys a title specially conferred by the Sovereign. The title of "His Highness," conferred or recognised by the Queen Empress, belongs as of right only to a limited number of the Feudatory Chiefs, and to a few of the Nobles of British India ; but it is very generally conceded, as a matter of courtesy, to most of the Feudatory Chiefs and the greater Territorial Nobles. The title of "His Excellency" has been specially granted to one or two Chiefs; it is also commonly used, as a matter of courtesy, in addressing the responsible Ministers of the chief Feudatory States.

The owners of some great Zamindáris or estates, especially in Madras, are sometimes styled Raja in common parlance, even when they have not received that title from the Sovereign. But there seems to be no authority for this; nor so far as is known to the Editor, and with the few exceptions above noted is any name inserted in this work as that of a Rájá, or as holding a similar title, unless recognised by the Government of India.

Immemorial usage throughout India has conferred well-recognised courtesy titles on the heirs-apparent of the greater titles; and in some cases on the second, third, fourth, and younger sons. There is at least one Rájá whose eldest son bears the courtesy title of Kunwár, the second son that of Diwán, the third that of Thákur, the fourth that of Lál, and the fifth and younger sons that of Bábu. It may here be noted that, in common use in Bengal, the title of Bábu has degenerated like the French Monsieur and the English Esquire into a mere form of address; but it belongs of right only to a very limited class and particularly to the sons, not otherwise titled, of the greater titled personages. In Orissa, Chota Nágpur, and Central India, the eldest son of a Rájá or Thákur frequently bears the title of Tikait or Tikaildo; and sometimes (but rarely) the second son bears the title of Pothait or Pothaildo, and the third that of Lál. But in most, probably in all, cases, the younger sons are styled Bábu. In some of the Orissa Tributary Maháls, and in Manipur and in Hill Tipperah and elsewhere, the heir-apparent is styled Jubaráj or Yuvaráj. In some other parts he is