KOMAR, a chief, a prince, a first-born ; hence also Komari, a virgin, from which, according to a legend, is derived the name of Cape Comorin. Komari is also a term given to all forts until they stand an assault. It is usually written Kumar and Kumari. The law of primogeniture prevails in all Rajput sovereignties, and has rarely been set aside. The inconclusive (Ilea of Menu on this as on many other points, are never appealed to' by the Rajputs of modern days. Custom and pi4cedent fix the right of succession, whether to the gadi of the state or to a fief, in the eldest son, who is styled Raj-kw/tar or Pat-komar, or simply Komar-ji, the prince ; • while his brothers have their proper names affixed, as Komar Jowan Singh, prince Jowan. Seniority is, in fact, a distinction pervading all ranks of Rajput life, whether in royal families or those of chieftains ; all have their Pat-komar and Pat-rani, or head child and head queen. The privileges of the Pat-rani are very considerable. In minorities, she is the guardian, by custom as well as nature, of her child ; and in Mewar (the oldest sove reignty in India), she is publicly enthroned with the rasa. Seniority in marriage bestows the title of Pat-rani, but so soon as an heir is given to the state, the queen-mother assumes this title, or that of Mah-ji, simply the mother. In the duties
of guardian she is assisted by the chiefs of certain families, who with certain officers of the house hold enjoy this as an established hereditary dis tinction. On the demise of a prince without lawful issue of his body, or that of near kindred, brothers or cousins, there are certain families in every principality (raj) of Rajwarra in whom is vested the right of presumptive heirship to the gadi. In order to restrict the circle of claimants, laws have been established iu every state limiting this right to the issue of a certain family in each principality. And in Jeypore, in the branch Rajawut (according to seniority), of the stock of Raja Man, there is a distinction between those prior, and those posterior, to Raja Madhu Singh ; the former are styled simply Rajawut, or oc casionally conjoined, Mansingote ; the other Madhani. The Rajawut constitute a numerous fritrage, of which the Jhulaye house takes the lead, and in which, provided there are no mental or physical disabilities, the right of furnishing heirs to the gadi of Jeypore is a long-established, incontrovertible, and inalienable privilege.-7'ocPs Rajasthan. ii. p. 381.