Later Mughals v2.c15.7

v2.c15.7

The Bundelas themselves claim as their place of origin the country round Benares, and make themselves out to be a branch of the Gaharwar clan. Some faint reason for this claim to have come from Benares may be the fact that out of the total number of the Gaharwars in the United Provinces of Allahabad and Agra (53,477) we find fully half (26,832) reside in the two districts adjoining Benares, namely Mirzapur (20,249) and Ghazipur (6,583). The one colony is in pargana Kantit, west of Mirzapur, and the other in pargana Mahaich, south of the Ganges, midway between Benares and Ghazipur. In the nineteenth generation from a more or less mythical Kashi Rajah of the Gaharwar clan, one Rudra Partap rose to importance in the western part of what is now called Bundelkhand. He was ninth in descent from one Suhan Pal who had managed about the year 1292 A.D. to establish there a small independent State. Rudra Partap first emerged from obscurity in 1501 A.D., and in the last year of his life, on the 3rd Baisakh Sudi 1588 S. (21st April, 1531) he founded the town of Orchha and removed thither from Kurar.[*] Soon afterwards he was killed in endeavouring to save a cow from the clutches of a tiger. From his nine sons sprang, directly or indirectly, all the rulers of the States of Bundelkhand.* Six large States, Orchha, Datiya, Panna, Bijawar, Charkhari, Ajaigarh, and nineteen large jagirs are still held by their descendants. [M. U. ii. 317, Pogson 3-11.]