tra. After its subjugation by the Mahomedans, it received successively the names of Dowlutabad, Ahmednuggur, and Aurungabad. The inhabitants of this province are principally Mahrattas, this being the original country of that people. AURUNGABAD, the capital of the province of Aurungabad, is situated in Lat. 19 deg. 54 min. N., Long. 75 deg. 33 min. E. This city was originally named Goorkha, but having become the capital of the province, and the favourite residence of Aurungzebe, when viceroy of the Deccan, it received from him the appellation of Aurungabad. It is a large, well built town, abundantly supplied with water brought in stone conduits from the neighbouring hills, and distributed through pipes into numerous stone reservoirs in every quarter. It has a large and handsome bazar named the Shahginj, particularly noted for silks and shawls. Aurungabad is the usual residence of the governor of the northern division of the Nizam's dominions.

AURUNGZEBE, or ALUMGHEER, one of the descendants of Tamerlane. He reigned at Delhi, as Great Mogul, from 1660 until 1707, obtaining his place on the throne by imprisoning his father and causing his brother to be murdered or driven into exile. He was a prince of warlike habits, and extended his conquests over the Deccan, the Carnatic, and the coast of Golconda. Several towns and public edifices in India owe their origin to this sovereign.

AVA. Ava is situated to the eastward of India. It is bounded on the north by Assam; north-easterly by China; east, by Siam; south, by Siam and the sea; west, by the sea, Arracan, and Bengal. It is divided into the following chief provinces:-Ava, Pegu, Martaban, Tavoy, and Tenasserim, of which the latter two are subject to the British government. The province of Ava extends to Prome, which was the

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southern boundary of the empire previous to the conquest of Pegu. Its principal districts are Cossai, Mogaong, Ava, and the Shan country. Mogaong borders upon Cossai on the west, and Assam on the north. Ava, so named from the capital, constitutes what was originally the whole extent of Burma Proper, and comprises the remainder of the province. The province of Pegu extends southward from Prome. Its principal districts are the following:-Prome, Iarawadi, Hengawadi, Donabew, Bassein, Negrais, Syriam, Rangoon, Sitong, and Tongo. The provinces of Martaban, Tavoy, and Tenasserim, follow in succession southward from Pegu, and embrace the whole of the coast from the south side of the Saluen river. The principal rivers are the Irawadee, Kienduem, Saluen, or Martaban river, Pegu river, and Lokiang. This country may be described, in general terms, as consisting of the great valley of the Irawadee, intersected by several other smaller rivers and low hills, and having ranges of mountains along its northern and western sides, with another cross range separating it from the Shan country. The inland districts of Pegu are also generally hilly. The plains and valleys near the rivers are fertile and well cultivated, and yield abundance of rice, wheat, and other grains; sugar, tobacco, cotton, and indigo. The tea plant grows in a district to the north of Amrapoora, named Palongmyoo, but its leaf is very inferior to that of the Chinese plant, and is seldom used except for a pickle. The most remarkable product of the country is petroleum oil, an article of universal use throughout the provinces, and affording a large revenue to the government. Tin, antimony, iron, coal, and saltpetre, are also found in different parts; and it is said that in the mountains of the northern frontier, there are mines of gold, silver, and precious stones; but it

does not appear that these have ever been in any great abundance. There are quarries of excellent white marble a few miles from Amrapoora. The forests abound with teak and almost every description of timber known in India. The animals are the same generally as in India, with the exception of the camel, which does not appear to be known to the eastward of India. The elephant abounds most in Pegu, it is sometimes found of a white, or sandy colour, the consequence, it is supposed, of some leprous disease. The white elephant holds a very remarkable place in the estimation of the Burmese, who consider it an indispensable part of the royal establishment, and the want of one would be deemed a sure sign of some great evil about to come upon the country. The residence of the white elephant is contiguous to the royal palace, and connected with it by a long open gallery, at the further end of which a curtain of velvet embroidered with gold conceals the august animal from vulgar eyes. Its dwelling is a lofty hall covered with gilding, and supported by numerous gilt pillars. Its fore feet are secured by silver chains, and its hinder ones by chains of iron. Its bed consists of a thick mattress, covered with cloth, over which is spread another softer one covered with silk. Its trappings are of gold, studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Its betel-box, spitting-pot, bangles, and the vessel out of which it feeds, are also of gold, inlaid with precious stones, and its attendants and guard exceed a thousand persons. It ranks next in honour to the king himself, and all ambassadors attending the court of Ava, are expected to show it their respect by offerings of muslins, chintzes, silks, &c. The horses are small, but very active and hardy; those of Pegu especially are much valued. Amongst the wild fowl, is one named the henza, or braminy goose, the figure of which is used by

the Burmese as the symbol of their nation. The principal cities are the following:-In Ava: Umrapoora, Ava, Yandaboo, Pagam, Melloon, and Meeaday, all situated on the banks of the Irawadee. In Pegu: Prome, on the bank of the Irawadee, Tongo, and Pegu inland, Sarawa, Henza, Donabew, Bassein, Negrais, Syriam, Dalla, and Rangoon, all on the banks of the Irawadee and its branches. In Martaban: Martaban, Amherst, and Moulmein. In Tavoy: Tavoy. In Tenasserim: Megrui. Its inhabitants are composed of the following principal classes: Burmese, properly so called; Cossayans, Taliens, or the people of Pegu; Karens, also inhabitants of Pegu; and Shans. The total population of the empire is estimated at about 3,500,000. In regard to religion, the Burmese are followers of Booddh, whose image is worshipped throughout this country under the name of Gaodhma, or Gaotoom. The Booddhist system is not much superior to mere Atheism, as according to it, the world and all its affairs are left to go on as chance may determine, the Deity not taking any concern therein. The Booddhists, therefore, offer no worship to the eternal God, but say, that from time to time men of surprising piety have appeared, who have, in consequence, after their death, received power over the living, and these saints are the direct subjects of their worship. This system has, notwithstanding, one advantage over Hindooism and Mahomedanism, as it leaves the people entirely free, both from the absurd prejudices of caste, and the evil feelings of ignorant bigotry. Christian missionaries have latterly gone amongst them, and many have embraced the gospel, particularly amongst the Karens. The common language of this country is called the Burman, and is written from left to right in characters of a circular form. The language in which all their religious books are composed is called the

Pali, and is written in the Sanscrit character. The Burmese use the Palmira leaf, and for common purposes, the iron style; their religious and other books of value are written with lacquer, or sometimes with gold and silver, and the leaves are splendidly gilt and ornamented. AVADAVAT, a small East Indian bird, with very pretty plumage (brownish black, spotted white), red legs, &c., but no song. They are much kept by the natives of India in small wicker cages, and are sold in the bazars as pets. AVATAR, incarnation; applied to the alleged several appearances of Vishnu, q. v.

AYACUT, reputed measurement of land; land in India prepared for cultivation.

AYAH, a lady's maid in India. The Ayah has no innate taste for dressing, but can usually plait hair well, and contrives to fasten a hook, and to stick in a pin so that it shall soon come out again. She is often the wife of one of the khedmutgars (q. v.), and then the double wages make the service valuable to the worthy couple. Frequently she is an Indo-Portuguese woman, and though a sad and ugly drab, is in most respects superior to the Mussulman woman.

manufactured at Bhaugulpore, a town on the Ganges.

BAGDAD, a Turkish town on the banks of the Tigris, where an officer of the Indian army, representing English interests, usually resides. BAHADOOR, a great person, a pompous fellow.

BAHAR, a province of India. It is bounded on the north by the hills of Nepal; east, Bengal; south, Orissa and Gondwana; west, Gondwana, Allahabad, and Oude. The divisions are Sarun, including Bettia, Tirhoot, Shahabad, Bahar, Boglipoor, Ramghur, including Chota-Nagpoor. The rivers are the Ganges, Gunduk, Kurumnasa, and Sone, all three flowing into the Ganges, and many others. The Kurumnasa, though but an insignificant stream, is noticed on account of the singular character it bears amongst the Hindoos. They consider its waters to be so impure, that if a pilgrim, crossing it on his return from Benares, do but touch them, all the sins which the Ganges had washed away, will return upon him doubled. From its northern frontier southward, including Sarun, Tirhoot, Shahabad, and Bahar, the country in general presents a level open surface, copiously watered, and remarkably fertile. There are, however, some low sterile hills scattered through the district of Bahar. Boglipoor is occasionally hilly, and towards its eastern frontier mountainous and woody. Ramghur is mountainous throughout, very rocky, and much covered with jungle. There are hot springs in various parts, and the climate of the northern and central districts is temperate and healthful. Agriculture, manufactures, and commerce have always flourished in this province; opium may be considered its staple commodity. Its other chief articles of produce are rice of the finest kind, excellent wheat and other grains, sugar, indigo, tobacco, cotton, hemp, pun, castor and seed oils, and a great variety of flower

essences, particularly atta, usually called otto of roses, and rose-water. Sarun abounds in large timber, much used for ship building, and produces a superior breed of cattle. Very good horses are bred in Tirhoot; amongst the wild animals a species of baboon is found in Boglipoor, named the Hunooman, which is held by the Hindoos as sacred as the cow. Bears also are numerous, and in the hilly parts, tigers, wolves, and hyenas. Large quantities of nitre are supplied from Sarun and Tirhoot, and iron, lead, antimony, and mica are found in Ramghur. The manufactures are principally of cotton goods, and earthenware, in imitation of English crockery. Opium, which has been mentioned as the staple of this province, is produced from a species of the poppy. When ripe, a small incision is made in the pod of the flower towards evening, from which the juice distils during the night. In the morning this is scraped off, and afterwards, being dried in the sun, becomes opium. The towns are Bettia, or Chumparun, Chupra, Cheerun, Moozuffurpoor, Hajeepoor, Buxar, Arra, Rotasgurh, Dinapoor, Patna, Bar, Bahar, Daoodnuggur, Gaya, Monghir, Chumpranuggur, Boglipoor, Rajmahal, Sheergotti, Palamow, Rumgarh, and Burwa. The present name of this province is derived from that of the town of Bahar, or Vihar, which is supposed to have been its capital at some former period. In Hindoo writings, the districts north of the Ganges were called Maithila, and Bahar and Shahabad were included under the name of Moogadha. The inhabitants of Bahar are Hindoos, including a great number of Brahmuns, and a large proportion of Mahomedans; this province having been conquered by them at an early period. The hills of Boglipoor are inhabited by a number of original tribes, living in a very uncivilised state, and in the southern parts of Ramghur are the

Lurkakoles and other wild mountaineers. Amongst the Hindoos of this province there are a considerable number of the Sikh sect, and some Jains. The Boglipoor, and other hill tribes in general, have not adopted the Brahminical system, but still follow their original practices. The language is Hindostanee and Moogadhee. The latter, which is the vernacular language of the Hindoos of the province, does not greatly differ from Hindostanee.

The

BAIR (ziziphus jujuba), the egg plum. Of this fruit there are several varieties. Originally from Western India and Persia, it is now naturalised in all the gardens about Calcutta, and in some of the larger towns. The inferior and hedge sorts are met with all over India. common wild kind much resembles in shape, colour, flavour, and size an unripe crab-apple, and one would almost suppose that from it a good cider might be made. The better and fine sorts are of the flavour of an inferior apple, or wild plum. They are eaten in large quantities by natives of India, by whom the fruit, in all its states, is very highly esteemed, not only when green and ripe, but also when dried and preserved in various ways. The best produce of the wild tree, however, is not its fruit, but the strong and durable silk (Tusser) which it produces. The trees, even in the midst of the towns, are often seen with numbers of worms upon them, and in the districts where the silk is an object of culture, the moths are bred from the cocoons, and the worms fed upon the leaves like silk-worms. They are, however, kept in close baskets, being very active, and crawling away fast if left on open spots. The great enemies to the culture are crows and other birds, and ants, which devour the young caterpillars in all the stages of their growth.

BAJAREE, a Hindostanee word for the grain called millet.

The

BAJJA, a band of music-Hindostanee. BAJRA, a grain (holcus spicatus), much used in India in feeding horses and cattle. BALAGHAT, the name of the Ceded Districts in southern India. boundaries are, on the north, the rivers Toombudra and Kistria, separating it from Bejapoor and Hyderabad; east, the mountains dividing it from the northern Circars, and northern Carnatic; south, Mysore; and west, the Dooab. Its principal districts are Doossad, Kurnool, Adoni, Cummum, Bellary, Gooty, Gundicotta, Cuddassa, Sidout, Raidroog, Gurrumconda, and Punganoor. The rivers are the Vedavutti, also named the Hajnee, or Pajnee, flowing northerly into the Toombudra, twenty miles from Adoni, the Pennar, Toombudra, Kistna, and several smaller streams. This province consists for the greater part of an elevated open plain, intersected in different directions by ranges of low hills, and generally very barren of trees. The southern portion of the province consists of valleys lying between the eastern mountains, which extend from Colar to Gurrumconda, and thence stretch inland to the vicinity of Sera. The soil is remarkably good. The scarcity of trees is not natural, but has been occasioned by the continual passage and encampments of the large armies, by which this province was desolated during the constant wars, of which it was formerly the seat. The climate of this province is intensely hot, and it is much subject to drought, and consequently to famine. Cotton, indigo, sugar, rice, and various dry grains, are the natural productions of this province. Diamond mines are found chiefly in the Cuddassa district; all the diamond mines in this part of India, with a few exceptions, lie between the Kistna and Pennar rivers, from which tract the Golconda diamonds were procured, the district of Gol

conda itself not producing any. The district of Bellary is noted for the manufacture of cumlies. The principal towns are of the same names as the districts. The word Balaghat means "above the passes," and was first used by the Mahomedans to distinguish the whole of the upper country, extending from the Kistna to the southern extremity of Mysore, from the Paeen Ghat, or country "below the passes." The term "Ceded Districts" was given to the province in 1800, when it was ceded or given up by the Nizam of Hyderabad to the British. The original name of this province was " Karnatuk, or Karnuta Desum," subsequently misapplied by both Mahomedans and Europeans to the Paeenghat country, to which it is now exclusively appropriated, although no part of the ancient "Kurnata" was below the mountains. With the exception of a few thousand Pathans, the inhabitants of this province are all Hindoos; generally, they are more robust and active than the people of the Paeenghat countries, and of a bolder character. The total population is estimated at 2,200,000.

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BALA-HISSAR, literally, the upper palace, the citadel of a fortified town in central Asia.

BALA RAMA, the name of a Hindoo god, the brother of Krishna. He was saved from the fury of Consa, by being translated from the womb of his mother into that of another female. He is frequently represented as the coadjutor of his brother in his exploits, and his image usually accompanies that of Krishna in his re-animation (after having been killed) under the form of Juggarnath. married one of the most beautiful old maids of ancient times, of a standard somewhat above the usual size; his wife, Revati, having been, "at the time of her marriage, 3,888,000 years of age, and so tall, that her stature reached as high as the hands clapped seven times could be heard."

He