[INDOLOGY] Kāṭhā

[jacob at fabularasa.dk]

Dear colleagues,

I am encountering the expression "mārvāṛ kāṭhā" (sometimes rendered as 
"mārvāṛ (kāṭhā)") in the colophons of a group of Rajasthani cloth 
paintings (dated 17-19th century, but probably modern forgeries). I 
suppose that the meaning is something along the lines of "the region of 
Marwar," but the only definitions of kāṭhā I have been able to find are 
"a measure of length" and "a measure of land of 320 square cubits."

The situation is slightly complicated by a colophon which reads "maṭh 
hāraṇ mulk mārvāṛ kāṭhā," indicating Saran Math in the region (mulk) of 
Marwar. Should kāṭhā be understood as synonymous with mulk, or do they 
express separate definitions of territory?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards,
Jacob

Jacob Schmidt-Madsen
PhD Fellow
University of Copenhagen
Denmark