Adam's Reports on Vernacular Education in Bengal and Behar/Report 1/Section 19

SECTION XIX.

The District of Purneah.

Population.—In 1789 Mr. Suetonius Grant Heatly, then Collector of Purneah, computed the number of villages within the limits of the district at 5,800, from which he inferred a population of 1,200,000 persons. In 1801 Mr. W. S. Rees reported the number of villages to be 7,056 and the estimated total population 1,450,000 persons. Dr. Buchanan was of opinion that, during the forty years prior to 1810, the population of Purneah had nearly doubled, and his computation, the result of a much more laborious investigation, exhibits a total population of 2,904,380 persons in the proportion of forty-three Mahomedans to fifty-seven Hindoos.

Of the latter more than half still consider themselves as belonging to foreign nations either from the west or south, although few have any tradition concerning the era of their migration, and others have no knowledge of the country whence they suppose their ancestors to have come. Comprehended in the above population are various classes of slaves. They are allowed to marry and their children become slaves; but the individuals of a family are seldom sold separately. One class of slaves are the most useful description of labouring people. Their owners seldom use the power they possess of selling them. Although the Mahomedans are in proportion fewer than in Dinajpur, they have more influence, much more of the land being in their possession. The manners of the capital town are entirely Mahomedan, and the faith is apparently gaining ground. Except artists, all the Mahomedans call themselves shaik as deriving their origin from Arabia, but a great majority are not to be distinguished from the neighbouring Hindoo peasantry. In 1810 there were twelve families of Native Christians who are called Portuguese and who are chiefly employed as writers. Among the Rajpoots are a few Sauras or worshippers of the sun. Within the whole district there are reckoned to be 482 market-places, and the principal towns are—Purneah containing 6,000 houses, Nautpoor 1,400, Kushba 1,400, Dhamdaha 1,300, and Matanti 1,000.

According to Buchanan the dialects spoken in the district are in a state of great confusion. The emigrations appeared to him to have been so recent that the people had not yet moulded their discourse into a common language. The Bengalee and the Hindee, and different dialects of each, contend for the mastery. The Bengalee character is very little used, and except among the traders of Bengal settled in almost every part, it is chiefly confined to the eastern sub-divisions, and even there the accounts of the zemindars are kept both in Nagree and Bengalee.

In the sub-divisions of Sibgunj, Bholahat, Kaleyachak, Kharwa, Nehnagar, Delalgunj, and Udhrail, the Bengalee language is by far the most prevalent. In Gorgurilah and Kirchugunj both dialects and both characters are very much intermixed, so that it would be difficult to say with certainty which is most prevalent. The Bengalee perhaps is a little more common in the former, and the Hindee in the latter. In Bahadurgunj and Matagari on the frontier of Morung, many of the tribes from the east speak Bengalee. The Hindee and Mithila are, however, by far the most prevalent, and in all the remaining sub-divisions little else is spoken in conversation. The oral use of Hindoostanee is generally understood except among the very lowest of the people. The western portion of Purneah formed part of the ancient kingdom of Mithila, together with the modern districts of Tirhoot and Sarun in Behar and part of the adjacent tracts now possessed by the Nepaulese. Within those territories a distinct language was spoken still named the Mithila, or Trihutya, or Tirahuti, and accordingly in the western portion of Purneah learned Hindoos still use in their literary compositions the character called Tirahuti which differs little from the Bengalee in form, but much in pronunciation. With some exceptions, the Brahmans of Mithila pronounce their words nearly in the same manner with those of the south of India. The dialects of the Bengalee language, where it is spoken, are exceedingly impure. There is not only a difference in almost every petty canton, but even in the same village several dialects (Mithila, Magadha, Sambhal, &c.) are often in common use, each caste retaining the peculiar words, acceptations, and accents of the country from which it originally came. The Hindee is in a still greater state of confusion. There are local dialects which often vary so much that one is not only not spoken, but not even understood, by those who use the other. There are, however, two chief dialects. One is an Apabhasha or vulgar tongue, spoken by the lowest classes, by the women, and even by a large proportion of the Brahmans. This dialect contains many songs and several hymns in praise of the village deities, but none of them appear to have been committed to writing. The second is called Désbasha or the language of the country, and is spoken by a considerable portion of the Brahmans and persons of the higher ranks and also by a very small proportion of the women, but even these use the first dialect when they speak to their servants. The Désbasha is also used in correspondence by persons of rank and education, but a good many who can speak it, or understand it when spoken, especially among the Brahmans, cannot write it at all, and several use it in business without acquiring a pure style. Not above 3,000 men in the whole district understand this language, so as to speak it with propriety, nor can half that number write it. Perhaps 300 women understand it when spoken, and of these only about 20 were known to be able to correspond in this dialect, or indeed in any other, and all these lived to the west of the Kosi river. It is only on the west side of the Kosi that there is any considerable degree of education among the people of this district who speak the Hindee language.

In the preceding details, I have endeavoured faithfully to abstract Dr. Buchanan's account of the confusion of tongues prevailing in this district, although I am not sure that I have always caught his meaning which is sometimes obscurely expressed. The statements it contains are curious, and probably in most respects correct; but I should apprehend that in some instances he may have transformed mere provincialisms, such as are found to exist in the counties of England, into radical diversities of language.

Indigenous Elementary Schools.—In the eighteen sub-divisions of the district, Dr. Buchanan found 643 elementary schools amongst the Hindoo population, there being only one sub-division entirely destitute of such schools. These schools he considered very inadequate to the demand, and a large proportion of the children of the district are taught to read and write by their parents. A few teachers in the principal towns keep public schools attended by from 15 to 20 boys, but in general the teacher is hired by some wealthy man who gives him wages and food and commonly allows him to teach a few children belonging to his neighbours, but some refuse this accommodation. Other employers do not undertake to feed the teacher daily, and he has to go in turns to the houses of the parents of the children whom he instructs. In this district no one teaches to read the Hindee (Nagree?) characters without at the same time teaching his scholars to write them.

The number of Akhuns or inferior description of Mohomedan teachers is stated by Dr. Buchanan to have been 66, there being six districts that have none at all. The Persian or Arabic characters are taught without writing them which is made a separate study. By far the greater part of the people who in this district acquire the mystery of reading the Persian character, proceed no further, nor do they attempt to understand what they read. This character is very little used for writing Hindoostanee, which indeed is chiefly a colloquial language, and is seldom written even in the transaction of business. Many, however, study the Persian language, and it is supposed that there are about 1,000 men capable of conducting business by means of it; but in general they have confined their studies merely to the forms of correspondence and law proceedings. Few, indeed, are supposed to be elegant scholars, and none profess to teach the higher parts of Persian literature.

The results of elementary education throughout the district are given by Dr. Buchanan in a separate table, from which it appears that, according to his information, there were 18,650 men capable of keeping common, accounts, 16,550 who could sign their names, and 1,830 men and 483 women who understood the common poetry.

Indigenous Schools of Learning.—Throughout the district Dr. Buchanan reckoned 119 schools of this description, possessing various degrees of respectability. The subjects taught are grammar, logic, and law, astronomy and the modern ritual, the teachers of the two latter, although classed as learned men, being less respected than the former. Some even of the most respected class were reputed to possess but superficial acquirements. The students are said to be inattentive and to take long vacations. About as many students go to other districts from Purneah as are attracted to it from other quarters. No Pundit had above eight scholars altogether which is less than two for each teacher. The Pundits in the district, including the professional teachers, amounted to 247, but the claims of many to the title were deemed questionable. A great many other persons to the number of 1,800 or 1,900 assume the title of Pundit, but are distinguished from the former by the name of dasakarmas. They officiate as priests to the Sudras, and towards the west they act in the same capacity for very low castes; but in those parts few can read or write any language. They understand, however, the poetical legends when read, have acquired some knowledge of the marvels they contain, have committed to memory the necessary forms of prayer, and can perform the usual ceremonies. In the eastern parts of the district, where the manners of Bengal prevail, there is a class of Brahmans who officiate for the lower castes of Sudras, and their knowledge is nearly on a level with that of the dasakarmas. The dasakarmas, who act as priests for the higher order of Sudras, can read and are able to pray from a book. A good many of them have studied for a year or two under a learned teacher, and have some slight knowledge of grammar and law. Some of them can understand a part of the ceremonies which they read, and some also can note nativities. A very few of the medical tribe in the south-east corner of the district have studied the sacred tongue.

It is remarked that science is almost entirely confined to two of the corners of the district, the old territory called Gour, and the small portion situated to the west of the Kosi. In the former case, the effect is attributed to the care of a native public officer who had several estates in that vicinity, and still retained a part at the time of Dr. Buchanan’s investigation. He appointed six pundits to teach, and gave them an allowance besides the lands which they possess. They are reckoned higher in rank than the other professors in the vicinity, and are called raj-pundits. The thirty-one pundits in that quarter addict themselves chiefly to the study of grammar, law, and the mythological poems. Logic and metaphysics are neglected, as well as astronomy and magic. In the western side of the district there are no less than thirty-three teachers within a small space, and there astrology as well as metaphysics is studied; mythological poems are not much read and magic is not known. The number of the teachers is owing to the patronage of the Rajahs of Darbhanga to whom the greater part of the lands belong; but their patronage did not appear to be very efficacious, for, of the thirty-three Pundits in the whole territory west of the Kosi, only eight were considered well-versed in the sciences and learning, which they professed to teach, viz., one in logic and metaphysics, three in grammar, and four in astrology. All these are Mithila Pundits.

Dr. Buchanan has communicated some details of the proportions in which the different branches of learning were studied. Eleven Pundits taught metaphysics; of these six confined themselves entirely to that branch; one also taught grammar, another added law; two others with law also read the Sri bhagvut; and one man included the whole of these within the range of his instructions. There were no less than thirty-one teachers of the law, of whom one only confined himself to that pursuit; twenty of them taught one additional science; and of these nineteen taught grammar, and one logic and metaphysics; eight taught two additional branches, of whom three taught grammar and explained the bhagvut, two taught logic and metaphysics and also explained the bhagvut, two taught grammar and the modern ritual, and one taught grammar and astronomy. Two taught three other branches, one explaining grammar, logic and the mythological poems, and the other substituting the modern ritual for logic. Of eleven teachers of the astronomical works, ten professed nothing else. Of seven persons who taught the modern ritual, one only confined himself to it, two professed the law, three taught grammar and the metaphysical poems, and six were proficients in grammar. Only five Pundits limited themselves to the teaching of grammar.

With regard to the state of medical education and practice, Dr. Buchanan ascertained that there were twenty-six Bengalee practitoners who used incantations (muntras); thirty-seven who rejected them and administered medicine; and five Mahomedan physicians who seemed to be little superior to the Hindoos. The doctrines of both are nearly the same, and seem to be founded on the school of Galen. Those who practice at large make from 10 to 20 Rupees a month. They do not keep their recipés or doctrines secret, but seemed to practice in a liberal manner, although without having gained a high reputation. A considerable number are servants, and attend on wealthy families for a monthly pension. Many of them cannot read. There is another class of medical practitioners who reject incantations and exhibit herbs. They have no books, and the greater part cannot read the vulgar tongue. They have been early instructed in the use of certain herbs in certain diseases. Dr. Buchanan heard of about 450 of them, but they seemed to be chiefly confined to the Hindoo divisions of the district, and they are held in very low estimation. There is also a class of persons who profess to treat sores, but they are totally illiterate and destitute of science, nor do they perform any operation. They deal chiefly in oils. The only practitioner in surgery was an old woman, who had become reputed for extracting the stone from the bladder, which she performed after the manner of the ancients.

According to Dr. Buchanan the science of the Arabs has been exceedingly neglected in this district, so that very few even of the kazis are supposed to understand the koran or any Arabic work on grammar, law or metaphysics. He did not hear of one man who attempted to teach any of these branches of learning, and he expresses a doubt whether even one man employed in administering the Mahomedan law and born in the district was tolerably well-versed in the subject, or so well informed or liberally educated as the common attornies in a country town or England.

Appendix to Section XIX.

Extract from General Statistical Table of Dr. Buchanan’s Report on the District or Zillah of Purnea.

					Proportion between number of		State of Education.
Division.				Number of people.
Number					Moslems.	Hindoos.	Adhyapaks.	Akhuns.	Gurus.
1	Haveli	. . .	. . .	154,000	9	7	2	10	100
2	Dangrakhora	. . .	. . .	184,00O	6	10	2	2	25
3	Gondwara	. . .	. . .	157,000	4	12	2	3	50
4	Dhamdaha	. . .	. . .	260,000	4	12	17	5	10
5	Dimiya	. . .	. . .	142,000	4	12	16	10	100
6	Matryari	. . .	. . .	166.000	4	12	. . .	3	5
7	Arariya	. . .	. . .	142,000	8	8	2	. . .	. . .
8	Bahadurgunj	. . .	. . .	262,000	6	10	. . .	5	100
9	Udhrail	. . .	. . .	176,500	9	7	44	. . .	30
10	Krishnagunj	. . .	. . .	246,000	10	6	. . .	4	20
11	Dulalgunj	. . .	. . .	146,000	10	6	. . .	5	50
12	Nehnagar	. . .	. . .	185,000	10	6	. . .	2	6
13	Kharwa	. . .	. . .	96,000	6	10	1	2	12
14	Bholahat	. . .	. . .	122,880	6	10	9	3	60
15	Sibgunj	. . .	. . .	125,000	10	6	20	4	10
16	Kaliya Chak	. . .	. . .	98,000	7	9	2	4	50
17	Gorguribah	. . .	. . .	112,000	6	10	2	4	10
18	Manihari	. . .	. . .	130,000	4	12	. . .	. . .	5
	Total	. . .	. . .	2,904,380	123	165	119	66	643

Extract from Table No. 12 of Dr. Buchanan’s Report on Purnea, explaining the state of Education among the People of that District.

	Haveli.	Dungrakhora.	Gondwara.	Dhamdaha.	Dimiya.	Matryari.	Arariya.	Bahadurgunj.	Udhrail.	Krishnagunj.	Dulalgunj.	Nehnagar.	Kharwa.	Bholahat.	Sibgunj.	Kaliya Chak.	Gorguribah.	Manihari.	Total.
Men capable of keeping common accounts.	2,300	500	1,500	350	750	1,400	350	1,500	1,000	1,200	1,550	150	200	3,750	900	350	700	200	18,650
Men who can sign their name.	1,000	1,450	750	3,000	1,200	2,800	1,200	700	950	800	50	250	. . .	250	600	400	1,000	150	16,550
Men who can understand the common poetry.	200	100	150	200	250	350	50	100	70	100	. . .	. . .	60	. . .	. . .	200	. . .	. . .	1,830
Women who can understand the common poetry.	50	10	. . .	3	20	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	200	. . .	. . .	200	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	483