MUKHIA, in Bengal, one of the village author ities; also a comptroller, appointed to collect tribute to Hindu idols. Such sacred offerings were held in high estimation by the nations of antiquity. Herodotus observes that these were transmitted from the remotest nations of Scythia to Delos in Greece ; but that range is far less ex tensive than the offerings to the dewal or temple of Krishna in Mewar. Tod relates that in his time the spices of the isles of the Indian Archipelago ; the balmy spoils of Araby the Blest ; the nard or frankincense of Tartary ; the raisins and pistachios of Persia; every variety of saccharine preparation, from the sacarcand (sugar-candy) of the Celestial Empire, with which the god sweetens his evening repast, to that more common sort which enters into the pera of Mathura, the food of his infancy; the shawls of Kashmir, the silks of Bengal, the scarfs of &pares, the brocades of Gujerat, the flower and choice • Of many provinces from bound to bound,' —all contribute to enrich the shrine of Nat'hdwara in Mewar. But it is with the votaries of the maritime provinces of India that he has most reason to be satisfied ; in the commercial cities of Surat, Cambay, Muscat, 3Iandavi, etc. etc., the
Mukhia or comptrollers deputed by the high priest reside to collect the benefactions, and transmit them as occasion requires. A deputy resides on the part of the high priest at Multan, who invests the distant worshippers with the initiative cordon and necklace. Even from Samarcand the pilgrims repair with their offer ings; and a sum, seldom less than 10,000 rupees, is annually transmitted by the votaries from the Arabian ports of Muscat, Mocha, and Jedda, which contribution is probably augmented not only by the votaries who dwell at the mouths of the Volga, but by the Samoyede of Siberia. There is not a petty retailer professing the Vishnu creed who does not carry a tithe of his trade to the stores ; and thus caravans of 30 and 40 cars, double-yoked, pass twice or thrice annually by the upper road to Nat'hdwara. These pious bounties are not allowed to moulder in the bindar : the apparel is distributed with a liberal hand as the gift of the deity to those who evince their devotion ; and the edibles enter daily into the various food prepared at the shrine.—Tod's Rajasthan, i. p. 527.