Rhymes of Rajputana

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IN 1829 Colonel James Tod, after an intimate personal acquaintance with the Rajput States dating from 1806 to 1822, published in two big volumes his famous work entitled The Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, which is still the chief authority recognised by natives of the country as well as Europeans in all that pertains to the Rajasthan of former days. In that book he laid open from almost every known source, including the classics of Hindustan, local bards and tradition, a mine of information and romance regarding his beloved Rajputs, whom he identified as connected with "the Getic nations described by Herodotus" and the Scandinavian Asia and German tribes. The heroes of Odin," he writes, "never relished a cup of mead more than the Rajpoot his stalo, and the bards of Scandinavia and Rajwarra are alike eloquent in the praise of the bowl" Again: "Even in the heaven of Indra, the Hindoo warrior's paradise, akin to Valhalla, the Rajpoot has his cup which is served by the Apsara, the twin sister of the celestial Hebe of Scania." -Rajasthan," he explains, "is the collective and classical denomination of that portion of India which is the abode of (Rajpoot) princes. In the familiar dialect of these countries it is termed Rajaarra, but by the more refined Raethana, corrupted to Rajpootana, the common designation among the British to denote the Rajpoot principalities."

The Jat States of Bhurtpore and Dholpore and the Mahomedan State of Tonk have also been included for many years in Rajputana.

Most of the Rhymes in these pages refer to history more or less ancient, and the ground-work of these may be found in Tod's book. For the story of two I am indebted to Powlett's Gazetteer of Bikaner. A few of modern cast are added by way of contrast under the head Miscellaneous. Should they collectively lead any English reader to take an interest in Rajasthan past and present, my object in publishing them, as a farewell tribute of friendship to the Chiefs and people of that delightful country from whom I have received much kindness, will have been accomplished.

I trust the Notes at the end will not seem too long: they are mainly extracts from Tod, and the uninitiated would do well to glance at them before reading the Rhymes they explain or illustrate.

**Contents and Sample Pages**