‘P.S. No tranquillity in house since valve adjourn.—I send for carpenter to make re-unite.’
Those unacquainted with the pedantry of Bengallee writers, may suspect me of coining for the occasion; placing the above on a footing with Smollet’s ‘Horse-spittle of anvil-heads,’ &c.; but I assure my readers, that it is a literal transcript from a note of which the original was in my father’s possession for many years; it is by no means so preposterous as many that have, on account of their ridiculous diction, been published in the Calcutta papers.
The dress of a Bengallee cranny is exactly the same as that of the sircar, of which tribe he may be considered a relative. The Portugueze cranny, assumes the British dress; but the Armenian invariably retains that of his own country, which is truly becoming. They shave their heads, and wear black velvet bonnets, not unlike a mitre in form. Their vests are of white linen, and reach down to their knees, so as not to conceal the knee-bands of their small-cloaths. Their coats, or tunics, are usually made of colored silk, for the most part purple, lilac, crimson, or brown, and flow loosely rather below their vests; the sleeves are loose, and there is no collar. They use also stockings and shoes; and, when within doors, lay aside their black bonnets, wearing in their stead white skull-caps, round like a small bowl, and often neatly tamboured with colored silks. They have pockets both in their vests, and in their small-cloaths: some wear girdles, under their tunics; and some wear silken sashes.
Having disposed of those who pride themselves as appertaining to the nokeron, it remains to detail the services, &c. of such as come under the general designation of chaukeron.
The Khedmutgar, or, as he is often termed, the kismutgar, is, with very few exceptions, a Mussulman: his business is to prepare all the apparatus, and to wait at table. For this purpose, he repairs to the house of his employer shortly after day-break; when, after seeing that the breakfast apartment has been swept, and taking care that the bearers have put on a kettle, he lays the cloth, with small plates, knives, forks, spoons, &c. together with bread, butter, sweetmeats, &c. but reserving all the tea-things for a side-table; at which, if there be no kansamah, he officiates, making the tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, or whatever is ordered. Where there is an European lady in the family, she may, perhaps, have the cups, &c. set upon the breakfast table; but, on account of the steam arising from the various preparations, this custom is by no means general; and often, after being persevered in for a while, is relinquished in favor of the bachelor’s mode; which is in every respect, the most comfortable.
Every gentleman must have one khedmutgar; but the majority keep two, or even more; not only adding thereby to their own expence, but considerably incommoding every party in which they may dine. As every gentleman, when at table, is attended by his own servants, it may easily be conceived, that where two or more are posted behind each guest, a living enclosure is formed, tending by its own exhalations, added to those from their masters, and from the viands, to banish comfort, and to render all artificial means of cooling the apartment perfectly abortive. Hence it is usual, at all public entertainments, to admit but one servant for each person invited: on some occasions a better plan is adopted, namely, that of employing only as many servants as may be deemed absolutely necessary: but this, though obviously judicious, rarely gives satisfaction; habit having so strongly confirmed, what luxury so very insagaciously invented. Gentlemen fixed at Calcutta, or at any place, as residents, cause plates, knives, forks, spoons, napkins, and glasses, to be laid for the whole company; but at all military stations, each guest sends his servant with two plates, a soup plate, a small plate for bones, &c. a tumbler, a long glass for claret, and a smaller for Madeira, a table spoon, a dessert spoon, perhaps also a marrow spoon, two or three knives and forks, and a napkin: these are usually taken to the rendezvous by one of his khedmutgars, who accompanies the aub-dar; the latter causing a bearer with a bangy, or sling, to carry the apparatus for cooling water.
However luxurious the latter custom may seem, yet I do not know any more gratifying, or more conducive to health. A glass of cold water is at times invaluable!
When seated at table, the khedmutgar stands behind his master, changing his plates, &c. which are cleaned by servants without; and, either keeping him cool by means of a small hand-fan, made of palm-tree; or driving away the flies with a whisk, called a chowry, made of the hair from a wild ox’s tail, or of a peacocks’ feathers, or of the roots of grass, called cuss-cuss, &c. often, however, these offices are left to a bearer, who likewise stands, behind his master’s chair, for that purpose. After dinner the khedmutgars retire to their own homes, and, about sun-set, attend their respective masters, if they have remained; but should they sup where they dined, as is customary where suppers are laid, the attendance is repeated, the same as at dinner time; after which the khedmutgars go to their respective houses, without ceremony. The pay of this menial varies from five, to perhaps ten, rupees monthly; but the generality receive from six to eight. Much depends on the rank of the employer, and whether the khedmutgar is ever expected to officiate as kansamah: such is, indeed, the case with the families of single gentlemen, not in possession of large receipts; but the officiating khedmutgar is honored, almost invariably, by all the other servants, with the title of khansamah.
Nor is such distinction always ill-bestowed; many of those who serve under gentlemen of a liberal disposition, and who take pleasure in keeping a good table, may fairly competite with, at least, half the servants actually entitled to that designation, in all the knowledge requisite to support its character. Few, however, of those who become thus capable of managing all that appertains to domestic economy, refrain from making attempts to enter the superior circle. Nor are there wanting persons ready to seduce such good servants from the employ of their acquaintances. About eight and twenty years ago, when it was the fashion to wear the hair, both of ladies and of gentlemen, full dressed, a good peruquier was an indispensable part of the establishment: the great difficulty of procuring persons properly qualified, induced several gentlemen to have lads instructed under those who were known to be expert; this often cost from eighty to a hundred rupees (ten or twelve guineas); but, in many instances, so soon as the pupils had learned the business, offers were made clandestinely from other quarters, sometimes by intimate friends of their masters; when some little disagreement was started so as to give pretext for quitting. I must remark, at the same time, that I believe the gentlemen of India are more scrupulous, and more delicate, in matters of this nature, than those in any other quarter: but we must not expect all to be perfect; still less to be disinterested!
Khedmutgars are, with few exceptions, the sons of ayahs, dhyes, &c. in the service of European, or native, ladies: their first introduction to the table commonly takes place when about eight, or nine, years of age; at which period children in that quarter are usually smart, intelligent, and well-featured. At first they attend only at home; not receiving any wages, or so little as barely to suffice for clothing: by degrees they become useful, and are allowed to attend abroad. From this it may be concluded, that, too often, a kind of compact, or coalition, takes place behind the curtain, not very favorable to either the pocket, or the brows, of the employer. When we consider the various opportunities both for peculation, and for intrigue, possessed by khedmutgars so initiated, we cannot refrain from condemning that practice, which is too generally prevalent; and which we should suppose could not fail to produce some inquietude: such, however, is rarely the case.