Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/25



CHAPTER XXXIX.

THE MAHRATTA CAMP AND ZENĀNA.

"FOR WHOM SHALL I STAIN MY TEETH AND BLACKEN MY EYELASHES?—THE MASTER IS TURNED TO ASHES ."

Arrived at Fathīghar—The Sitar versus the Dital Harp—The Mahratta Camp—Her Highness the Bāiza Bā'ī—Jankee Rāo—The Gaja Rājā Sāhib—Visit to the Ex-Queen—Dress of the Mahrattas—The Sword of Scindia—The English Side-saddle—Pān and Atr—Departure—The Arab at the Zenāna Gates—Her Highness a good judge of a horse—Absurdity of a Side-saddle—The Gujja Rajah's Horsemanship—A Challenge—The Kurk—The Pilgrim receives a Title—The Idols—The six Wives of Appa Sāhib—Oppression of the Laws with respect to Widows—Recipe for Hooq[)u] Cakes—Superstitions of the Natives—Lucky and unlucky marks on Horses—Tiger-claw charms—To tame vicious Horses—Assam Coins.

1835, April 6th.—I arrived at Fathīghar, at the house of a relative in the Civil Service, the Judge of the Station, and agent to the Governor-general. After a hot and dusty dāk trip, how delightful was the coolness of the rooms, in which thermantidotes and tattīs were in full force! As may be naturally supposed, I could talk of nothing but Khāsgunge, and favoured the party with some Hindustanī airs on the sitar, which I could not persuade them to admire; to silence my sitar a dital harp was presented to me; nevertheless, I retained a secret fondness for the native instrument, which recalled the time when the happy slave girls figured before me.

Having seen Musulmānī ladies followers of the Prophet, how great was my delight at finding native ladies were, at Fathīghar, worshippers of Ganesh and Krishn-jee!