Note 41 — Volume II.

Occupation. 5. Besides their special business of entertaining travellers they also catch fish, and are hence in the west of the Province, known as Mahigîr or “fishcatcher.” Their women are known as Mehtarâni, a sort of mock honorific title. Of the Grand Trunk Road Dr. Buchanan writes41:—“On the great road more attention is shown to the real convenience of travellers than in any part of India which I have yet visited; and regular inns (sarâi, bhathiyârkhâna) are kept at convenient distances. Each inn consists of a number of distinct chambers, which are let by the night to any traveller or company, eight or ten persons travelling together often occupying one chamber. The chamber usually consists of a wretched straw hut, seven or eight cubits long and five or six wide, and is in general totally destitute of furniture; a few only afford a little straw or a mat to sleep on; but some kept by obliging nymphs have bedsteads, where favourites are received. The Bhathiyâras or keepers are low Muhammadans, such attention to strangers being incompatible with Hindu reserve. Each keeper, according to his means, has a number of chambers, which are usually disposed in a row (alang); and in most inns are several keepers whose rows of chambers surround squares or wide lanes, in which the cattle of carriages of the travellers stand. Hindus pay from one to two pice a night for each chamber, and Muhammadans pay double because the Bhathiyârin cooks for them. The keeper generally retails fire-wood, tobacco, and the charcoal balls used in smoking, and purchases for his guests whatever other article they want. Some of them also retail earthen ware and shoes. Hindus of the highest rank can sleep in such places, when no pure person will give them accommodation; but they, of course, can receive little or no assistance from the keeper, who cannot bring water that his guest will use, nor can the Brâhman cook in the inn. He must go to some pure place, and for that purpose usually selects the side of a river which in this country is the most common abode of Cloacina.” In these inns the Bhathiyâra women are said often to act as go-betweens (saparda). Some add to their income by keeping pony or bullock carts (ekka, bahli).