Observations on the Mussulmauns of India / Descriptive of Their Manners, Customs, Habits and Religious Opinions Made During a Twelve Years' Residence in Their Immediate Society

by Mrs. Meer Hasan Ali

Kaabah, Ka'bah, the holy place at Mecca;
water spout at
Kaanaut, qanat, the side walls of a tent
Kaarawaun, kawan, a caravan
Kaareem Zund, Karim Khan Zand, anecdote of;
see KHAREEM ZUND
Kaarjil, kajal, lampblack applied to the eyes
Kaawaus, khawass, a special female attendant
Kabooza, kharbuzah, the melon
Kalipha, khalifah, a Caliph, head servant;
see CALIPHA
Kallonie wallah, khilauniwala, a toy-seller
Kannoge, the city of Kanauj;
founded by Cain;
destroyed by an earthquake
Katorah, katora, a shallow drinking cup
Kauflaah, kafilah, a caravan
Kaullie Nuddee, the Kali Nadi river
Kauzy, Qazi, a Musalman law officer
Keebaab, kabab, pieces of meat roasted on skewers
Keerah, kira, a leech
Ketcherie, khichri, rice cooked with pulse and spices
Kettledrum, the;
see DUNKAH
Khadijah, wife of the Prophet
Khareem Zund;
see KAAREEM ZUND
Khaun, khan, 'lord', a title of honour
Khaunce, Kansa, King of Mathura
Khaunie, a folk tale
Kheer, khir, milk boiled with rice
Khidmutghar, khidmatgar, a table servant
Khillaut, khil'at, a robe of honour
Khodah Afiz, Khuda hafiz, 'God be your Protector!'
Khoraan, the Koran, Qur'an;
its history;
not to be translated;
taught to girls;
its doctrine regarding women;
passages of, inscribed as amulets;
learnt by heart;
readers of
Khus-khus, khaskhas,
the fragrant root of the grass Andropogon muricatus
Khusru Parviz, King of Persia
Khwaja Khizr, the saint
Kiblaah, qiblah, the direction assumed in prayer
Killaah, qal'a qil'a, a fort
Kirhnee, kirni, the fruit Canthium parviflorum
Kirrich, kirch, a straight thrusting sword
Kishtee, kishti, a boat
Kitchens in the zenanah
Kite-flying
Knife-grinders
Koofah, the city Kufah
Kootub, the Qutb Minar pillar at Delhi
Kornea, Kanhaiya, Krishna
Koss, kos, a measure of distance, about two miles
Kraabaalah, Kerbela, Karbala, the holy city
Kuffin, kafn, a coffin, winding-sheet
Kummeruck, kamrak, the fruit Averrhoa Carambola
Kungoon, Bandar Kangun in the Persian Gulf
Kurah, kora, aloe water
Kurbootah, kharbuza, the shaddock fruit
Kutcher, khichar, rice boiled with pulse and spices

Labaadah, Labaadh, labada, a rain-coat
Labaun, loban, frankincense;
see LAHBAUN
Ladies, European, not visiting bazars;
Musalman, conversation of
Lahaaf, lahaf, a quilt
Lahbaun, see LABAUN
Lampblack, applied to the eyes
Lance, exercises with the
Leopards trained for sport
Leech vendors
Leechie, lichi, the fruit Nephelium Lichi
Left hand used for ablution, not for eating with
Letters, dedicated to God
Licenses for marriage unknown
Lights burned before the Taziahs
Lime, applied to wounds
Liquors, fermented, prohibited to Musalmans
Locusts;
used for food
Lollah, lal, the bird Estrelda amandava;
see HAVERDEWATT
Loodocanah, the city and district Ludhiana
Looking-glasses in zenanahs;
bride's face first seen in
Lota, a brass water-vessel
Luchmee, Lakshmana, image of
Luggun, lagan a washing pan
Lungoor, langur, the ape Semnopithecus entellus

Mabaaruck Now-Rose, Nauroz mubarak Maccurrub, muqarrab, angel messengers Madhaar, Madar, the saint Magic, to bring rain; to cause fertility Mahana, miyana, a kind of litter Mahdhaar, madar, the tree Calotropis gigantea Mahout, mahawat, an elephant driver Mahrattas, raids of in the Panjab Mahul, mahall the seraglio Mahummud, Muhammad, the Prophet, his mission; his title; tales regarding; fixes Friday as the Sabbath; laws of the pilgrimage; his rules of conduct; laws regarding polygamy Mahummud Baakur, Muhammad Baqir Mahurrum, the Muharram festival; date of; ornaments laid aside at; immense expenditure on; second day observances; fifth day observances; last day observances; clothes given away; inauspicious for marriages; objected to by Sunnis Majoob Soofies, majzub, 'abstracted' Mango tree, the Marriage, forced, prohibited; age for; settlements unknown; service; exorbitant expenditure on Matchmakers Matunjun, muttajjan, meat boiled with sugar and spices; see MATUNJUN Maulvee, maulavi, a doctor of the law Mautunjun, see MATUNJUN Mayllah, mela, a fair, a religious assemblage Mayndhie, mendhi, the shrub Lawsonia alba, apllied to hands and feet; smeared on bride and bridegroom; procession of; sent to bridegroom by bride; smeared on horses; rite at marriage Mayvour, mewa, fruit Mazoor, Mazoorie, mazdur, mazdurni, a day labourer Meals, among Musalmans Meat, use of by Musalmans Mecca, the holy city; the Holy House; life held sacred at; Black Stone at; see KAABAH Medicine, native system of Medina, the holy city Meer, mir, a title of Sayyids Meer Eloy Bauxh, Mir Ilahi Bakhsh Meer Hadjee Shah, Mir Haji Shah, his life; character; makes his own winding sheet; listens to the reading of the Bible; views on fasting; tea drinking; describes the Hajj; describes Mecca; life at Ludhiana; adventure with a snake; adventures with tiger; his pilgrimage to Arabia; cures an Arab lady; attacked by pirates; purchases Fatimah, an Arab girl Meer Hasan Ali, husband of the authoress Meer Hasan Ali, Mrs., the authoress Meer Nizaam ood deen, Mir Nizam-ud-din Meer Syaad Mahumud, Mir Sayyid Muhammad Meetah, meettah, mitha, mithai, sweet, sweetmeats Melons, cider made from the juice Metals transformed into gold Mhembur, minbar, mimbar, the pulpit of a mosque Mhidie, al Mahdi, 'the Directed One'; signs of his coming; his birthday Mina, maina, the bird Gracula religiosa Minerals, medicinal use of Missee, missi, a preparation for staining the teeth Mittie wallah, mithaiwala, a sweetmeat vendor Moat, moth, the aconite-leaved kidney bean Mocha, Mokha, a port on the Red Sea Moghdhur, mugdar, a sort of dumb-bell or club used in athletic exercises Mohur, a gold coin Monkeys; and alligators; affection for their offspring; and snakes; wounded; and treasure; use of antidotes for poison Moollakhaut, mulaqat, a mourning assemblage Mooltanie mittee, multani mitti, fuller's earth Moon, new, festival at; influence of; when full auspicious; drinking the; influence on wounds Moonkih, Munkar, Munkir, the Recording Angel Moonshie, munshi, a writer, secretary Moosa, Musa, Moses; Musa al-Kazim, the Caliph Moosul, musal, a pestle used for husking rice Mortem, matam, mourning Moses, Musalman title of; tale regarding Moslem, Muslim, cousin of Husain Mosque, absence of decoration in; caretakers of; at Kanauj; pollution of Mosquitoes Mourning, dress worn during the Muharram festival; chaff thrown on the head; head and feet left bare; for forty days after a death; shaving forbidden during Muchullee, machhli, fish Mucka Beg Muckunpore, Makanpur Mudgeluss, majlis, a mourning assembly Muggalanie, Mughlani, a Moghul woman, a needlewoman Mugganee, mangni, the marriage engagement Muggrib, maghrib ki namaz, sunset prayer Mukburrah, Mukhburrah, maqbarah, a mausoleum Mukhdoom Jhaunneer, Makhdum Jahaniya Jahangasht, the saint Mukhun, makkhan, butter Mulberries Mullie, malai, cream Munall, munhnal, a pipe mouth-piece Muntah, mantra, spells, incantations Murdanah, mardanah, the men's quarters in a house Murseeah, marsiyah, a funeral elegy; see MUSSEEAH Musheroo, mashru, silk cloth permitted to be worn at prayer Mushukh, mashk, a skin water-bag Music in the zenanah Musnud, masnad a pile of cushions, a throne Musseah, Musseeah; see MURSEEAH Mustaches Myriam, Maryam, the Virgin Mary Myrtle, the tree

Naalkie, nalki, a kind of litter
Naarah, nara, a string
Nadir Shaah, Nadir Shah, King of Persia
Najoom, najoomee, nujumi, an astrologer
Nala and Damayanti, tale of
Namaaz, namaz, the daily liturgical prayer of Musalmans
Namaazie, namazi, one given to prayer, a devotee,
one who calls the people to prayer
Nativity of Jesus Christ, observed by Musalmans
Naunbye, nanbai, a bazar baker
Nautch woman;
Nautchunee, nachni, a dancer
Neam, nim, the tree Melia Azadirachta;
see NEEM
Neellah tootee, nila tutiya, blue vitriol, medicinal use of
New Moon festival, the
New Year's Day, see NOU-ROSE
Nitre, manufacture of
Nizaam ood deen, Nizam-ud-din, the saint
Noah, Musalman title of;
his place of burial;
ark of, where rested
Nose-rings;
see NUT
Nou-Rose, nauroz the New Year's Day festival
Nudghiff Usheruff, Nejef, Mashhad 'Ali
Nujeeb, najib, a class of infantry
Nusseer ood Deen Hyder, Nasir-ud-din Haidar, King of Oudh
Nut, Nutt, nath, a nose-ring
Nuwaub, nawab, 'a deputy', title of the rulers of Oudh
Nuzza, nazr, nazar, an offering from an inferior to a superior
Nykee, Nakir, the Recording Angel

Omens, at Nauroz festival; used in selecting a bride; at marriage Omir, 'Umar, the second Caliph; said to have destroyed the Alexandrian library Ood-ood, hudhud, the lapwing, hoopoe Oostardie, ustadi, a teacher; see ARTOOJEE Orme, am, the mango Orme peach, the peach Ornaments, use of by women; see JEWELLERY Otta, 'itr, otto of roses Oudh, administration of justice in the Nawabi; Nawabs and Kings of

Paadishah Begum, Padshah Begam, the
Paak, pak, pure
Pachisi, the game
Paidshah, padshah, a King
Palace, the, at Delhi
Palkie, palki, the common palanquin
Pallungh, palang, a kind of bed
Paper, written, objection to burning;
made of bamboo
Pataan, one of the Pathan tribe
Pawn, pan, betel leaf;
not used during the Muharram festival
Pawndawn, pandan, a box to hold betel leaf
Peach, the
Pearls
Pedigrees of Sayyids carefully kept
Peer, pir, a Musalman saint or holy man
Pellet bow, use of the
Pepul, pipal, the sacred fig tree, Ficus religiosa
Pickles, use of, and sale
Pigeon flying;
shooting
Pilgrims, regulations for;
cloak worn by
Pillau, pilau, meat or fowl boiled with rice and spices
Pineapple, the;
see UNANAS
Plague, an outbreak of
Plums
Poison detected by means of dishes
Polygamy;
among Indian kings
Pomegranate, the
Prayer, the call to;
'opening of difficulties';
carpet;
times of, how announced
Prickly heat
Printing, not practised in Lucknow
Prisoners released to effect a cure of the sick or as a thank-offering
Punkah, pankah, a kind of fan;
punkah wala, punkah wala, a fan-seller
Pappayah, papaiya, the papaw tree, Carica Papaya
Purdah, pardah, a screen to conceal ladies
Purrh, pahar, a watch, a measure of time
Pyjaamah, paejama, drawers;
stuff used in making

Quail fighting
Quicksilver, use of in medicine

Racaab puttie, rikab patthari, a stone plate
Rain magic
Rainy season, the
Rajpoots, Rajputs, infanticide among
Raspberries
Ravenscroft, G., murder of
Red, the Sunni colour;
of Husain
Reetah, ritha the soapnut, use of in medicine
Resident at Lucknow, the
Resurrection, doctrine of the
Ricketts, Mordaunt, Resident at Lucknow
Right hand used in eating
River, course of changed by a saint
Romall, rumal, a handkerchief
Rooey, rohu the carp fish
Rope-dancing
Roses;
smelling of, causes colds and sneezing;
rose water;
syrup, seeds, oil, uses of
Roshunie, roshanai, ink
Rozedhaar, rozadar, one who keeps a fast
Rumzaun, Ramazan, Ramzan, the festival
Rutt, rath, a bullock carriage
Ruzzie, razai a quilt
Ryott, ra'iyat a subject, a cultivator

Saabeel, sabil,
the place where sherbet is distributed at the Muharram festival
Saadie, Shaikh S'adi, the Persian poet
Saag, sag, herbs of various kinds used in cooking
Saalik, salik, a devotee, a kind of Sufi
Saatarah, sitara, a guitar
Sabbath, the, among Musalmans
Sacrifice of animals at the Bakrah 'Id festival
Safdar Jang, Nawab of Oudh, tomb of
Sahbaund, Sawan, the fourth Hindu month
Sahib Logue, Sahib Log, Europeans
Saints' tombs at Kanauj
Sainturh, sentha the grass Saccharum ciliare;
see SECUNDAH
Sakeena Koobraah, Sakina Kibriya, daughter of Husain
Salaam-oon-ali khoon, salam 'alai-kum, 'Peace be with thee'
Sallon, salan, a curry of meat, fish, or vegetables
Sampwalla, sampwala, a snake-charmer
Sarchuk, saachaq, fruits, &c., carried in procession at a marriage
Saulgirrah, salgirah, the knot tied to mark a birthday
Scales, the, doctrine of
Scapegoat, released in times of sickness
Scorpio, moon of, inauspicious
Scorpions, mode of repelling
Seclusion of womem, origin of the custom
Secundah, sarkanda,
roots of the grass Saccharum ciliare, used for mats and screens;
see SAINTURH
Secungebeen, sikanjabin, oxymel, vinegar
Seepie wallah deelie sukha,
sipi wala gila sukha, moist or dry cuppers
Seer, scr, a weight of about two pounds
Serai, sarai, a native inn
Seur, suar a hog, a term of abuse
Seven, a lucky number
Shaah Jhee, Shahji, a beggar
Shaah Nudghiff, Shah Najaf, a shrine at Lucknow
Shaah ood Dowlah, Shah-ud-daula, a darvesh
Shah Allum, Shah 'Alam II, King of Delhi, his grave
Shah Allumgeer, Shah 'Alamgir, the Emperor Aurangzeb
Shah Jahan, the Moghul Emperor
Shahjee, see SHAH SHERIF OOD DEEN
Shahnama, the poem by Firdausi
Shah Nizaam ood deen, Shaikh Nizam ud-din Auliya, the saint
Shah Sherif ood deen Mahmood,
Shah Sharif ud-din Mahmud, a darvesh
Shampooing
Shaving, discontinued during mourning
Shawm, Sham, Syria
Shawmie, Shami, a native of Syria
Sheah, Shiah, the Musalman sect;
quarrels with Sunnis at the Muharram;
their numbers compared with those of Sunnis;
the creed of
Sheah-maul, shirmal, a kind of bread; see SHEERMAUL
Sheekaree, shikari, a huntsman
Sheermaul, shirmal, a kind of bread; see SHEAH-MAUL
Sheikh Mahumud, Shaikh Muhammad
Sherbet, sharbat, a drink, how made;
distributed at the Muharram festival;
payment for at marriages
SHERREFAH, SHERREEFHA, sharifah, the custard apple
Sheruff, Sharif, the governor of Mecca
Shimeear, Shimar, the chief agent in the murder of Husain
Shiraaz, Shiraz, a city in Persia
Shoes removed in sacred places and in houses;
varieties of
Shooghur Allah, see SHUGGUR ALLAH
Shopkeepers, mode of doing business
Shroff, sarraf, a moneychanger
Shroud, the burial
Shubh-burraat, Shab-i-bara'at, the night of record, a festival
Shubnum, shabnam, 'dew', a kind of fine cloth
Shuggur Allah, shukr Allah,
'Praise be to God!'; see SHOOGHUR ALLAH
Shujah ood Dowlah, Shuja ud-daula, Nawab of Oudh
Shutteringhie, shatranji, a striped floor-cloth
Sickley ghur, saikalgar, a polisher of arms
Sickness, attributed to spirits
Sikhs, the;
campaign against
Silk, wearing of
Sin, repentance of
Singing women
Siraat, sirat, the bridge over which the soul passes
Sirrakee, sirki, the reed Saccharum
ciliare, used for mats, &c
Sita ki Rasoi, a building at Kanauj
Slaves, domestic, condition of;
female in the zenanah;
liberated by or on the death of the owner;
property of reverting to the master
Snake charmers, deception practised by
Snakes, superstitions regarding;
and monkeys;
tale of an ungrateful;
an adventure with
Soap, substitutes for
Society of Musalman ladies
Solomon, King, tale of;
the first Sufi
Soobadhaar, subahdar, a native officer, a viceroy
Soobadhaarie, subahdari, a province under a viceroy
Soobhoo namaaz, namaz-i-subh, the dawn prayer
Soofy, Sufi, a sect of Musalmans;
consulted to solve mysteries;
pretenders to piety;
assemblage of with singing and dancing;
principles of
Soojinee, sozani, a quilted cloth
Soonie, Sunni, the Musalman sect;
rulers at Mecca
Soota-badhaar, Soutabardar, a mace-bearer;
see SOTA-BADHAAH
Sota-badhaah; see SOOTA-BADHAAR
Spinach, varieties and uses of
Spirits, evil, exorcism of
Starvation, a cure for disease
Stockings, wearing of in the zenanah
Stone dishes
Strawberries
Subzah, sabzah, a song bird
Suffee Ali, Safiya 'Ilah, a title of Adam
Sulleed, tharid, a kind of bread
Sulmah, surma, antimony applied to the eyes
Sumdun Begum, samdhan begum, a connexion by marriage
Surraie, surahi, a long-necked water flagon
Surringhee, sarangi, a sort of violin
Sutkah, sadaqah, offerings of intercession
Suwaaree, sawari, an equipage, escort
Sweetmeats, sellers of;
given to a man in a state of ecstasy,
Swine, held abominable by Musalmans
Sword exercises
Syaad, Sayyid, a class of Musalmans;
their origin;
care used and difficulty in making marriage engagements;
respect paid to;
dues received by
Syaad Ahmad Kaabeer, Sayyid Ahmad Kabir,
Syaad Harshim, Sayyid Hashim

Taaif, Ta'if, a fertile tract near Mecca,
Taarkhanah, tahkhanah, an underground room,
Taaseel-dhaar, tahsildar, a native collector of revenue,
Taaweez, taawize, ta'wiz, an amulet, talisman,
Tahujjoot, namaz-i-tahajjud, prayer after midnight,
Tale kee archah wallah,
Tel ka acharwala, a seller of oil pickles,
Talismans; see TAAWEEZ
Tamarind tree, the, vegetation beneath it dying,
Tamerlane, Taimur Lang, introduces seclusion of women,
Tarantula, the,
Tattle, tatti, a screen, a device for cooling rooms,
Tawurshear, tabashir, a substance found in bamboos,
Tazia, ta'ziya,
a model tomb carried in procession at the Muharram festival;
not peculiar to India;
not used by Sunnis;
burial of,
Tea, use of,
Teeth, cleaning of, 59
Thonjaun, tamjhan, thamjhan, a kind of litter,
Throne, of the King of Oudh,
Tigers, tamed, wandering about the house;
adventure with,
Time, Musalman division of;
measured by a clepsydra,
Timoor, Taimur, his invasion of India,
Tin, use of in dyeing and in medicine,
Tithes,
Toddy,
Toothbrushes,
Tope, a grove of trees,
Tor, tar, the palm tree, Borassus flabelliformis,
Toy sellers,
Trades in Lucknow,
Travellers excused from fasting,
Treasure, burying of,
Trees, speaking on the Mahdi's birthday,
Tuckht, takht, a wooden platform on which men sit and sleep,
Tufaun, tufan, a storm,
Tumaushbeen, tamashabin, 'a spectator of wonders',
Tundhie, thandi, a cooling draught taken at the breaking of a fast,
Turkaarie, tarkari, vegetables