Dear Rich,

I was also considering this possibility, but the problem is that, as far as I know, in Bengali this word is never used with retroflex 'ṭha', in standard Bengali it is always kāṃthā (and in Hindi it is also not retroflexed: kaṃthā), coming, as you say, from Sanskrit kanthā.

Even various Middle Bengali forms (kethā, kyāṃthā, kyāṃtā, khāṃtā, kyāthā, kānthā, etc.) are never retroflexed. But I do not know phonological rules of Marwari or Rajasthani, perhaps this change is possible.

Best,
Lubomir


On Tue, 5 Feb 2019 11:59:24 -0800
"Richard G. Salomon via INDOLOGY" <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

> The word kāṭhā (with first syllable nasalized, I think) is used in Bengal
> (Bangla Desh; also West Bengal?) to refer to cloths with embroidered
> narrative scenes. The work is presumably derived from Skt. kanthaa "rag,
> patched garment" (MW; cf. CDIAL #2721, not citing the Bangla; also KEWA
> I.151-2, comparing Lat. centoo "Flickwerk").
>
> Rich Salomon
>
> On Tue, Feb 5, 2019 at 3:40 AM Jacob Schmidt-Madsen via INDOLOGY <
> indology@list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> > 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
> >
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