their faith. They represented what Buddha had taught and preached. Representation in this case. was a motif of explaining the suggestions that underlay the canons of the religion. People who found the theological phase of the religion difficult of comprehension could perhaps understand it better by looking at these paintings. And even today one is overpowered by the beauty, sublimity and truth of the fragmentary remains of these paintings. As one passes through these neglected and almost for gotten halls hung as it were with painted tapestry he sees before him disclosed with marvellous simplicity the Bodhisattwa sacrificing his life for the sake of creatures in his numerous incarnations; the birth of Siddhartha; incidents of his child hood and youth; his departure from the guarded palace to seek the Great Renunciation; the trials he underwent in his wanderings; the temptation by Mara; his victory and attainment of Buddhahood, his preachings and finally his passing or Mahaparinirvana. And there standing in the hush and the semidarkness of these apartments one gradually becomes rapt with joy and wonder, realising what a great and glorious cycle of art once existed in India, under the patronage of that faith in the heart of which was the supreme conception of Gautama Buddha, radiant with a religious consciousness which once awakened most of the civilised races of the whole of Asia.

love. That is why their works are transcendental. They also represent a national culture. Perhaps nowhere was any art employed to serve a better purpose. Through the medium of visual art these paintings gave expression to the delights of the absolute and universal ideals of peace. The soul of the artists thirsted for service and thy rendered a magnificent service by offering their art at the alter of

SAMARENDRANATH GUPTA.

WE

E have heard not unfrequently men whose sincerity cannot be questioned declaiming against the Native States and asserting that the sooner they are amalgamated with British India the better for all concerned. Words such as these uttered by thoughtful men drive us to the conclusion that many states are falling behind in the march of progress, which aim at the welfare of their subjects, who labour under disadvantages and troubles to which their brethren in British India are strangers. Unfit and indifferent rulers, corrupt officers and inefficient officials, devoid of any sense of duty, owing their appointments merely to the favourit ism of rulers and chiefs, must be held mainly responsible for what I may call the pollution of the atmosphere in such states. Posts are created and maintained for men, rather than men selected for posts.

No man who is not a candidate for a lunatic asylum will deny that in such circumstances the sooner such States are thoroughly overhauled, or, if that be absolutely impossible, brought under British administration the better for the States and their subjects. In ancient. times Indian Kings trusted the learn

ed

interpreters of Dharma to guide them towards a progressive and just administration and thanks to this alliance they had a sort of democratic government. Now however such councillors are jettisoned and their place taken by officers of the type described above with the consequent deterioration in the welfare of the people. The Native States of India Occupy an area of more than one-third of India and they control the destinies of about one-fourth of her population.

The days are rapidly passing when rulers and princes clad in gorgeous raiments surrounded by sycophants and living in luxury and magnificence, could command the respect of the subjects by their very environments.

The people have become more critical and no longer deem that fine feathers make wise birds. Handsome is as handsome does is rather their motto.

Since the establishment of the British Government the ancient desires have revived and owing to educational progress there is a general cry for constitutional government all over the country.

Though British rule in India is based on principles of personal Government still we find justice, peace and security of life and property.

It is an established fact that no government on the face of the earth is perfect. Even in the most civilized of countries grievances exist and the British government is not exempt from this universal law. It has its defects. The Indian National Congress is a product of British rule. This body claims to bring the grievances of the people before Government and point the way to several reforms needed by the country.

It will be sufficient to explain some of the important and vital demands of the congress. They are: 1st, Self-government on the colonial system; 2nd, Free and compulsory primary education; 3rd, Higher posts for Indians in the administration of the country. On the other side the anti-congress party put forward the argument that Indians are at present unfit and incapable of performing the functions indicated.

The country people alone realize what they suffer when a Tahsildar, a police officer or even a peon or constable visits their village. The residents tremble like slaves before these petty despotic figures, who appear to have a control over their lives and personal affairs. What is the remedy? May I suggest that trial by jury and the old Punchayat system will at once kill out this form of petty tyranny?

In states where corruption is rampant, where the agents of tyranny and oppression are ever active and where the machinery of administration is in the hands of unqualified officers, the case of the poor country people can be better imagined than described.

Let me illustrate my point. We learn from history that after the decline of Mogul rule the Sikhs and Marathas set up "Swaraj" or Self-government over

greater part of India, but were unable to maintain it for a long time.

Some people may argue that the English people had strong guns and disciplined armies and conquered the country by force of their superior arms. But the fate of a people cannot be decided merely by the loss or gain of some battles. In the Sikh War some battles were unfavourable to the British side and yet the British eventually triumphed. Why? The answer surely is that maladministration and want of education in India; caused the humiliation and overthrow of the rulers of the country. People in their hearts wanted British to govern them for the sake of the resulting security to their lives and property and so they called them in to rule over their destinies and desire their rule to continue until the country has become fit for Self-government.

the

The principal objects of the Indian National Congress may probably be attained in some future period, but when we turn our attention to the Native States we find that they already possess all that the Indian National Congress earnestly demands from the Government in British India.

We have Self-government already, and all higher posts in the administration are practically reserved for Indians. The ministers of Hyderabad, Mysore, Baroda and other big states get as high salaries as most Englishmen in British India. Free primary education has been introduced in several

states.

All that is required is that they should be regulated and administered on judicious principles.

I beg to outline briefly some measures of reform in Indian states which are keenly desired by the subjects and call for the favourable consideration of the Indian chiefs.

1st. Trial of criminal cases should be conducted by the jury system and petty civil cases should be disposed of by Punchayats. Councils elected by the people should be established so that no new taxes may be imposed and no new law introduced without the consent and advice of such councils. Despotic government will thus die its natural death and maladministration will disappear in course of time.

2nd. One of our greatest grievances is the general extreme poverty attended with famines and starvation owing to seasons

of drought or other unforeseen calamities. This can be remedied by constructing canals, opening State Banks to help industrial projects, sinking deep wells, introducing irrigation by steam engines, and undertaking researches for the improvement of agriculture. The State revenues and the general condition of the subjects will be immensely benefited by such steps.

3rd. Technical Schools should be opened and elementary books on agriculture and hygiene should be added to the curri culum of studies in primary and village schools for the benefit of agriculturists.

4th. Free and compulsory education should be introduced and rules facilitating the higher education should be laid down, such as liberal grants of scholarships, &c.

5th. Small universities should be created in each State for the teaching of medicine, engineering, agriculture and other sciences in vernacular languages.

6th. The average of life is far lower in India than in other civilized countries and its uncertainty far greater. It is therefore an important duty of every State to improve the health of its subjects by adopting sanitary measures without loss of time. Public health departments should be established to keep the towns and villages clean, to supply pure water, to provide open spaces for games and physical exercises and to save the people from the treatment of quacks and unqualified charlatans.

7th. The injurious effect on the health of juveniles produced by smoking cigarettes is proverbial. A law A law prohibiting such smoking and the use of intoxicating drugs by all below a certain age should be passed. Such laws I believe have been passed by the Patiala, Faridkote, Baroda and Mysore States.

8th. Minors are now-a-days induced to become Sadhus or beggars. This ruins all who take to mendicancy as a profession. A law should be framed to protect all minors from such inducements.

9th. The abode of women of ill fame in densely populated quarters of towns is highly objectionable, producing demoraliz ing effects on the public. A special quarter of every town should be assigned for their abode. Several municipalities in British territory have taken steps to remove the

nuisance indicated.

10th. Agricultural cattle have become scarce, and expensive beyond the means of ordinary agriculturists. The result is a

dearth of ghee and milk keenly felt all over the country. It is necessary that from the uncultivated common land of each village, where it exists, a certain area proportionate to the needs of the village should be reserved for the grazing of cattle. A law should protect such pastures from partition by the proprietors or for utilization for agricultural purposes. Facilities should also be devised for stimulating the breeding of good stock.

11th. Poor-houses for indigent people should be established in all principal towns subscribed to by the public and aided by states and municipalities. Professional beggary should be stopped by law, as it is a curse to the country. Charity should be organized to suit modern conditions of life, for the old unregulated scheme of charity is responsible for vast waste and misuse of money.

12th. Indian rulers and chiefs should not be lax in encouraging social reforms among their subjects. The British Government

has held aloof in this respect probably for political reasons, but our chiefs can do much in this direction for the benefit of the ignorant masses by setting personal examples and by appointing committees to carry on such reforms or by devising other means to get them introduced.

It is time for chiefs to realize that their future greatness and peace depend on the prosperity and good of their subjects.

It is true that at the outset difficulties will bar the way to the introduction of reforms. It will be hard to find able men to carry on these measures, and the states will have to be ready to face the necessary expenses, but with the progress of education in a few years' time we may hope for a more plentiful supply of the right stamp of men. The revenues of the States will be vastly enhanced as the wealth of the population increases in consequence of these reforms.

D. M. DIWAN.

TH

HERE is evidence that the wire and tinsel industry has been in existence in India from very ancient times, though no definite information regarding its early history is available. We read, for instance, in the Ramayana, that on the occasion of her marriage Sita was dressed in a rosepink Sari richly embroidered with gold. There is evidence also that the Hindu Rajas of the pre-historic period used apparel set with gold. The antiquity of the industry may, however, be judged from the fact that there is mention of the Egyptian mummies having been found wrapped in garments wrought with thin strips of gold. It is also mentioned as having been known to the world at the time of the siege of Troy. There is, besides, a legend current among the 'Wire and Tinsel' workers of Patna and Calcutta, which lends support to the antiquity of this industry. It is said that Joseph, son of Jacob, was the inventor of the

industry and that he was in the habit of spending his leisure hours in embroidering handkerchiefs with tinsel and wire. To do honour to him the wire and tinsel workers to this day offer niaz (offerings) to his memory on the last Wednesday of the Muhammadan year.

It is doubtful, however, whether the 'tinsel industry' proper was known in India before the Muhammadan period. The fact that it flourished in towns which were ancient Muhammadan capitals and that even now it is generally in the hands of Muhammadans, supports the view that it was not.

IMPLEMENTS AND METHODS OF THE ART.

It is characteristic of the Indian artist that his implements are few and these often of a very crude nature. The implements used in this industry provide an illustration to this dictum. The reader will find out what these are as he proceeds with this article.