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OF THE HINDUS.
51
The Math is under the entire controul of a Mahant, or Superior, with a certain number of resident Chelás, or disciples; their number varies from three or four to thirty or forty, but in both cases there are always a number of vagrant or out-members: the resident Chelás are usually the elders of the body, with a few of the younger as their attendants and scholars; and it is from the senior and more proficient of these ascetics, that the Mahant is usually elected.
In some instances, however, where the Mahant has a family, the situation descends in the line of his posterity: where an election is to be effected, it is conducted with much solemnity, and presents a curious picture of a regularly organised system of church policy, amongst these apparently unimportant and straggling communities.
The Maths of various districts look up to some one of their own order as chief, and they all refer to that connected with their founder, as the common head: under the presidence, therefore, of the Mahant of that establishment, wherever practicable, and in his absence, of some other of acknowledged pre-eminence, the Mahants of the different Maths assemble, upon the decease of one of their brethren, to elect a successor. For this purpose they regularly examine the Chelus, or disciples of the deceased, the ablest of whom is raised to the vacant situation: should none of them be qualified, they choose a Mahant from the pupils of some other teacher, but this is rarely necessary, and unless necessary, is never had recourse to. The
