Nicoonzpa.—Of this race, to which celebrity attaches in all the Rajput genealogies, we can only discover that they were proprietors of the district of Mandelgarh prior to the Gehlot.
Raj-Pali.—This race, under the names of Raj palica, or simply Pala, are mentioned by all the genealogists, especially those of Saurashtra, to which in all probability it was confined. This tends to make it Scythiclin origin,—a conclusion strengthened by the derivation of the name, meaning royal shepherd ; ' it was probablya branch of the ancient Pali.
Sikerwal is a tribe which never appears to have claimed much notice amidst the princes of Rajas than ; nor is there a single independent chieftain now remaining, although there is a small district called after them, Sikerwar, on the right bank of the Chambal, adjoining Jaduvati, and, like it, now incorporated in the province of Gwalior, in Sindia's dominions. The Sikerwal was therefore in the early part of the 19th century reduced to subsist by cultivation, or the more precarious employ ment of his lance, either as a follower of others, or as a common depredator. They have their name froth the town of Sikri (Futtehpur), which was formerly an independent principality.
Sirvi Rajputs, descendants of Sheopal, dwell ing in MerWara, are a hardy race of agricul turists.
A Rajput even of the humbler people has a bold and dignified appearance, and their women are singularly beautiful. The tradition of common ancestry has preserved among them the feeling which permits a poor Rajput yeoman to hold himself as good a gentleman as the most powerful landholder. The Rajput proper is very proud of his warlike reputation, and most punctilious on points of etiquette. The Rajput who possesses but an acre of land has the proud feeling of common origin with his sovereign, and in styling him bapji (fsire), he thinks of him as the common father or representative of the race. I am a Rajput,' literally I am of royal descent,' is a usual remark, and it is a reflection whieh lends an. a. ir of dignity to all their actions. But in their military organization their constitution is feudal. Each Rajput or Jat is a free eitizen, and all are peers. The Panch or Kratisteuontes (xparm
retiovrEs), or, as the British call them, Lambardars, are but the elected representatives of the body of the citizens, and the only general rule is that a village is always represented by a plural number of representatives.
Over great tracts the Rajput are a feeble minority. In some parts, however, the agricul tural Rajput villages are strong and numerous, every Rajput is free and equal, the land is divided amongst them, and the commune is administered on democratic principles ; wherever this is the case, their institutions resemble those of the Jat race. • One large section of them, chiefly of the Oswal tribe, have become the greatest financiers of India. The mercantile classes are strongest in the northern cities, where are the homes of almost all the petty bankers and traders, who have spread over Central and Western India under the name of Marwari. Perhaps the Oswal section of the Jains, which bad its beginning Rajputana, is the wealthiest among the merchants ; and many of the hereditary officials belong to the commercial castes.
Rajputs have clan or tribal names, but too extensively distributed to take the place of family nanaes. In the Lower Doab, the Rajput take the Hindu royal designations of Raja, Rao, Rana, and Rawat. Rajput, son of a raja, is not a term used by all Rajputs. In some parts of their country they call themselves. Thakur, which means chief or noble. They are, however, frequently distin guished by the name of their tribe, as Chauhan, Rahtor.
Their practice is not to marry into their own, but into another clan, and this has assimilated the tribes to each other. A marriage within the clan is regarded as incestuous ; eaoli clan depends on the other dans for its wives, for no Rajput can take a wife elsewhere than from Rajputs. This has led to much celibacy and to infanticide. Their daughters are married to men of the best tribes, and their widows are not permitted to re-marry, and it is the point of honour as to their daughters' marriages that led to the practice of infanti cide.