Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 2.djvu/208

 BHÂT.—MUSSULMAN. (109)

HÂTS, as has been already observed under head of No. 91, are to be met with throughout India, especially in the North-West and Western provinces. They are importunate beggars, and, like such people elsewhere, are for the most part an idle, worthless set; subsisting upon doles at festivals and the general charity of the rich. There are not many of them in the Moradabad district. The specimen photographed comes from Umroha, a town in Moradabad full of old and decayed Mahomedan families. The occupation of the Bhât shown in this photograph is the narration of family traditions and legends, and remarkable historical and other local events, many of which are very curious and interesting. The Bhâts may be considered as much the hereditary depositaries and professors of this knowledge as the ancient Bards were in Britain. The offices of both correspond exactly. The Bhât is well paid and fed for his work. Umroha was a town which, like many other places where Mahomedans preponderate, behaved infamously in the rebellion.

The height of the individual represented is five feet five inches; his age, forty-eight years; colour of eyes, grey; and his beard is dyed bright red. He wears a puce-coloured cotton-velvet dress bound with green; with a mala, or long necklace of beads, round his neck.