Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 7.djvu/12

PURRIAR MEENAS. extent, and the entire reclamation of all the Meenas and their subdivisions will, it may be hoped, be effected in time.

The group photographed is of Purriar Meenas, who are principally located in the Kerna, a hilly district in the vicinity of the town of Jehazpoor of Meywar, in Rajpootana, where the borders of the independent states of Meywar, Jeypoor, and Boondee meet, as also the south-eastern portion of the British district of Ajmere, near the military cantonment of the Deolee Irregular Force stationed at Deolee.

"They are said to be a cross between the Purriar Rajpoots of Marwar and the aboriginal Meenas of Rajpootana, and possess the independent pride and spirit of the former. They are an athletic, active, and brave people, tall, handsome, and fond of sport, eager after game, which they are expert in tracking; they are free and open in manner and conversation, obedient to the command of their leaders, and sensible of kindness, but, bloodthirsty and revengeful. Their principal food is cakes of unleavened bread, made from the flour of Indian corn or millet, with herbs and boiled vegetables. They also eat largely of meat of all kinds, the cow excepted, and are more partial to the flesh of the wild hog than to any other animal food; they also drink freely of spirits and smoke tobacco."

Their principal weapons are the bow, spear, and kuttar. The latter is a kind of dagger about three or four inches broad at the hilt, and about a foot long, gradually fining down to a point. In the use of this weapon the Meenas are most expert, and one blow or thrust of the kuttar, if no fatal, causes a very severe wound. Many of them also possess matchiocks, and make excellent practice with them.

Every Meena in and about the district is, or has been, a robber. The whole tribe is lawless, and in no class has the crime of dacoity been so systematically followed as a profession as by the Purriar Meenas. They are employed as chowkeedars or guards throughout Rajpootana, and in this way they levy a species of black mail, and give notice to their brethren when any kind of valuable merchandize is likely to pass through the country. The Meenas then assemble in bands of twenty to thirty, or even one hundred, and when possessed of their booty, they return to their homes with such speed as to escape all detection. If pursued into one state, they take refuge with their brethren in another, and their fellow feeling is such, that they band together on the shortest notice.

"To such an extent had these robbers carried on their depredations, and so bold had they become, that no travellers or merchants with their goods could pass the vicinity of the Meena country without being plundered. The British Government remonstrated with the native chiefs on the state of the tribe, and in 1860 the Political Agent of Haraotee was also appointed Superintendent of the Meena Districts, when effectual measures were adopted, in co-operation with the