Note 37 — Volume II.

Bhathiyâra.37—(Sanskrit, Bhrishtakâra, “a preparer of roasted and fried meat”).—The keepers of inns and cooking-houses and sellers of tobacco. Their business is the entertainment of travellers, and their functions thus trench on the occupations of the baker (nânbâi), the preparer and seller of fried meat (kabâb farosh), and the tobacconist (tambâkuwâla). They trace their origin to Salîm Shâh, son of Shîr Shâh, who reigned between 1545 and 1552 A.D., and one tradition makes them out to be the descendants of members of the household establishments of Shîr Shâh and Salîm Shâh, who, after the overthrow of their masters by Humâyun, were doomed to servitude as attendants on travellers. The real name of Salîm Shâh was Jalâl or Islâm Shâh, and both he and his father still live in the traditions of the people. One proverb about them is Kya legâya Shîr Shâh? Kya legâya Salîm Shâh?—“In spite of their greatness what has Shîr Shâh or Salîm Shâh taken with him to the grave?”. Another is Shîr Shâh ki dârhi bari yâ Salîm Shâh ki?—“Which had the longest beard, Shîr Shâh or Salîm Shâh?” i.e., “What is the use of arguing over trifles?” The establishment of inns (sarâi) goes, however, back as far as the reign of Chandra Gupta. The traveller Terry writes:—“In this kingdom there are no Innes to entertain travellers; only in great Townes and Cities are faire houses built for their receipt, where any passenger may have roome freely, but must bring with him his Bedding, his Cooke and other necessaries.”38