Chapter SOMBA to SONTHALS of S by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

on the South End of the largest Island, is an Hill that resembleth the top of an Umbrella or Somerera.”—A. Hamilton, ii. 68 [ed. 1744].

1843.—“Sombrero Channel, bounded on the north by the Islands of Katchull and Noncowry, and by Merve or Passage Island on the South side, is very safe and about seven leagues wide.”—Horsburgh, ed. 1843, ii. 59–60.

SONAPARANTA, n.p. This is a quasi-classical name, of Indian origin, used by the Burmese Court in State documents and formal enumerations of the style of the King, to indicate the central part of his dominions; Skt. Suvarna (Pali Sona) pranta (or perhaps aparanta), ‘golden frontier-land,’ or something like that. There can be little doubt that it is a survival of the names which gave origin to the Chryse of the Greeks. And it is notable, that the same series of titles embraces Tambadipa (‘Copper Island’ or Region) which is also represented by the Chalcitis of Ptolemy. [Also see J. G. Scott, Upper Burma Gazetteer, i. pt. i. 103.]

(Ancient).—“There were two brothers resident in the country called Sunáparanta, merchants who went to trade with 500 wagons. …”—Legends of Gotama Buddha, in Hardy’s Manual of Buddhism, 259.

1636.—“All comprised within the great districts … of Tsa-Koo, Tsa-lan, Laygain, Phoung-len, Kalé, and Thoung- thwot is constituted the Kingdom of Thuna-paranta. All within the great districts of Pagán, Ava, Penya, and Myen-Zain, is constituted the Kingdom of Tampadewa. …” (&c.)—From an Inscription at the Great Pagoda of Khoug-Mhoo-dau, near Ava; from the MS. Journal of Major H. Burney, accompanying a Letter from him, dated 11th September, 1830, in the Foreign Office, Calcutta. Burney adds: “The Ministers told me that by Thunaparanta they mean all the countries to the northward of Ava, and by Tampadewa all to the southward. But this inscription shows that the Ministers themselves do not exactly understand what countries are comprised in Thunaparanta and Tampa-dewa.”

1767.—“The King despotick; of great Merit, of great Power, Lord of the Countries Thonaprondah, Tompdevah, and Camboja, Sovereign of the Kingdom of BURAGHMAGH (Burma), the Kingdom of Siam and Hughen (?), and the Kingdom of Cassay.”—Letter from the King of Burma, in Dalrymple, Or. Rep. i. 106.

1795.—“The Lord of Earth and Air, the Monarch of extensive Countries, the Sovereign of the Kingdoms of Sonahparindá, Tombadeva. … etc. …”—Letter from the King to Sir John Shore, in Symes, 487.

1855.—“His great, glorious and most excellent Majesty, who reigns over the Kingdoms of Thunaparanta, Tampadeeva, and all the great umbrella-wearing chiefs of the Eastern countries, the King of the Rising Sun, Lord of the Celestial Elephants, and Master of many white Elephants, and great Chief of Righteousness. …”—King’s Letter to the Governor- General (Lord Dalhousie), Oct. 2, 1855.

SONTHALS, n.p. Properly Santals, [the name being said to come from a place called Saont, now Silda in Mednipur, where the tribe remained for a long time (Dalton, Descr. Eth. 210–11)]. The name of a non-Aryan people belonging to the Kolarian c lass, extensively settled in the hilly country to the west of the Hoogly R. and to the south of Bhagalpur, from which they extended to Balasore at interval, sometimes in considerable masses, but more generally much scattered. The territory in which they are chiefly settled is now formed into a separate district called Santal Parganas, and sometimes Santalia. Their settlement in this tract is, however , quite modern; they have emigrated thither from the S.W. In Dr. F. Buchanan’s statistical account of Bhagalpur and its Hill people the Santals are not mentioned. The earliest mention of this tribe that we have found is in Mr. Sutherland’s Report on the Hill People, which is printed in the Appendix to Long. No date is given there, but we learn from Mr. Man’s book, quoted below, that the date is 1817. [The word is, however, much older than this. Forbes (Or. Mem. ii. 374 seq.) gives an account taken from Lord Teignmouth of witch tests among the Soontaar.

[1798.—“… amongst a wild and unlettered tribe, denominated Soontaar, who have reduced the detection and trial of persons suspected of witchcraft to a system.”—As. Res. iv. 359.]

1817.—“For several years many of the industrious tribes called Sonthurs have established themselves in these forests, and have been clearing and bringing into cultivation large tracts of lands. …”—Sutherland’s Report, quoted in Long, 569.

1867.—“This system, indicated and proposed by Mr. Eden,¹ was carried out in its integrity under Mr. George Yule, C.B., by whose able management, with Messrs. Robinson and Wood as his deputies, the Sonthals were raised from misery, dull despair, and deadly hatred of the government, to a pitch of prosperity which, to my knowledge, has never been equalled in any other part of India under the British