1 ( 93 )
2 season of rains may be said to hold the safety-valves of the tanks and
3 other reservoirs in his hands, Many a days supply of water is some-
4 times lost by the timidity or apathy of an inefficient Neergunty, and on
5 the other hand many a valuable dam is carried away by the rashness or
6 ignorance-of a presumptuous one.
7 The remainder of the Barabalowtee, with a few rar exceptions,. are
8 dependent for their support on the fees paid to them by the Ryots for
9 the exercise of their crafts, and on what they may earn from travellers.
10 There are many‘villages in which the full complement of the Baraba-
11 lowtee is not to be found, the duties and. functions of one member being
12 ‘doubled up with those of another. In some others again the number
13 of the complement is much extended, and we find included among them
14 in the accounts the Schoolmaster who teaches the children, most likely
15 in the exact same manner and on the self-same spot in which his arices-
16 tor taught their ancestors twenty centuries ago; the Calendar Brahmin
17 who calculates their innumerable festivals and anniversaries ; and the
18 Poojari who propitiates and worships the village idol. It is very seldom
19 that these individuals derive any support from Government, but the
20 Ryots of course are glad to assist them in the same way as they do the
21 handicraftsmen. Lo
22 Should any of these village servants who enjoy Government lands,
23 or are in the receipt of a money allowance, misconduct themselves and
24 .be dismissed from their appointments, they are invariably succeeded,
25 unless the crime be flagrant, by some member of their own family. In
26 cases where there are two or more claimants for the same office, as for
27 instance in an undivided Hindu family, they are allowed to select from
28 among themselves the individual whom they consider fittest for the post,
29 and it.is his name alone that appears in the Circar accounts. In some
30 instances they prefer to exercise the duties in rotation, and where this is
31 found to work harmoniously the authorities never interfere.
32 The Civil Courts can take no cognizance of disputes for the right of
33 succession to these offices, or for shares in the lands and immunities
34 attached to them. All such are decided summarily by the Amildar,
35 Superintendent, and Commissioner, in their Revenue capacities. The
36 alienation, mortgage, or transfer in any way of these lands is strictly
37 prohibited.
38 In 1850-51, it was calculated that there were 50,709 persons borne
39 on.the accounts as Barabalowtee who among them enjoyed land to the