The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v2.c32.s8: Appendix B. Geographical Notes on Some Places
The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v2.c32.s8
- Language
- English
Appendix B. Geographical Notes on Some Places
v2.c32.s8.2
1. *Adwand-Bihar*: The present Muslim town of Bihār Sharif (Lat. 25-11'N. Long 85-31'E) indicates the site where the famous University-town stood. It was also the capital of the Pāla kings, and Vallālasena is said to have suffered "repeated repulses" at the hands of the lord of Odantanpur.¹ Such a strongly fortified capital city had certainly been conquered not by a random raid as Minhāj's informants tell us. This place was also known as *Adwand-Bihar* to the Arabs (See *Hodivala-Studies*. 89).
v2.c32.s8.3
¹ *Vallāla-charita*; Nundolal Dey, *Notes on Ancient Aṅga*, JASB. 1914, p. 331.
v2.c32.s8.4
2. *Baskot* or *Basan-kot*: Cunningham makes the most astounding remark that he is "inclined to identify *Basankot* of 'Iwaz with a mound of Bhasubihār near Mahāsthāngarh, more than one hundred miles from Lakhnawati" (*ASC*. xv. 104). Monomohan Chakravarti admits that Basankot was near Lakhnawati. It cannot be Ballalbāṛi or the transformation of any Hindu fort as he imagines; it was, according to Minhāj, altogether a new structure.² Rajani Chakravarti mentions a covering fortress of Gaur, situated midway between the *Phul-bāṛi* gate and *Kotwāli* gate of Gaur. It is a sort of polygon with a mud-wall and a ditch. This answers to the position of Basankot very well, if it is conceded that this polygon was outside the city.³ According to Minhāj, there was a fairly large space between the city and the *hisār* of Basan-kot where in later times rival armies fought.
v2.c32.s8.5
² Chakravarti, *JASB*. N.S. v. 1909, p. 201; *Nāsiri*. Text. 151.
v2.c32.s8.6
³ *Gauḍer-Itihāsa*, II. App. 3.
v2.c32.s8.7
3. *Barsaul* (*TA*. Newalkishore Press. 24) Trans. I. *Barsaul*. (*Tabaqat-i-Akbari*); *Narnaul* (*Muntakhab-ut-tawarikh*. Text. 59).
v2.c32.s8.8
Narnaul of Badayuni's text is evidently the scribe's improvement on Nizamuddin's *Barsaul*, as scribes have always a tendency to substitute places well-known to themselves for obscure ones in the MSS. they copy. Narnaul is a famous town in the Punjab, and therefore stands beyond probability. *Naran-koe* was left unidentified by Blochmann,⁴ with the remark that it was "very likely the name of a region east of the Karatoya." Mr. Banerji has also left *Naran-koe* as it is in his book. It has not been possible for me also to locate any such place in the Karatoyā region where the fief of Ali Mardān was perhaps situated. As the *Tabaqāt-i-Nāsiri* is the chief source drawn upon by Nizamuddin and others it is uncritical to prefer *Barsaul* or *Barsaulī* to *Naran-koe* or *Narkoti* of a nearer contemporary. However, as *Narankoe* (Narayan-kot?) cannot be identified, I have preferred *Barsaul* or *Barsaulī* as the *jagīr* of Ali Mardān Khilji. If Blochmann, whom I have followed, is right in guessing that it must be some place in the Karatoyā region, I should like to identify *Barsaul* with *Barsala* of the *Ain-i-Akbari* which puts it as a *mahal* near the town of *Nusratābād* in Sarkar Ghorāghāt; *Barsala* is not indicated in Rennell's map. Narayanpur (Jalal-garh) in the Purniah district is described by Martin as the frontier outpost on the Kosi side. *Narankoe* or *diyar-i-koe* may be taken as mistakes for *diyar-i-Kosi*.¹
v2.c32.s8.9
⁴ *JASB*. 1875, No. 3, p. 285.
v2.c32.s8.10
¹ For Narayanpur-Jalalgarh see Martin, *Eastern India*, III. 82.
v2.c32.s8.11
4. Devkot: Devkot or Devikot was a very ancient city; its other name is said to have been *Bāṇa-pura* (Bonnogor of Martin). The Muslim town was perhaps at Dumdumah, a cantonment built near the old Hindu city, and both became known by the same name. Devkot during the time of Bakhtyār, and also under the later Khiljis, played a more important part than Lakhnawati. It was situated in pargana Gangārāmpur of Dinājpur district. The ruins of Bān-nagar indicate the situation of the old city. Martin says, "The proper name of Dumdumah is Devi Koth. It received its present appellation......from its having been a military station during the early part of the Muhammedan government....."² Cunningham more fully describes it thus:
v2.c32.s8.12
² Martin, *Eastern India*, II. 660.
v2.c32.s8.13
The old fort Devikot is situated on the left or eastern bank of the Punarbhava River, 33 miles to the north-east of Pandua, 18 miles to the south-south-west of Dinajpur, and 70 miles to the north-north-east of the citadel of Gaur......To the north of this there is a walled enclosure about 100 feet square, and to the north of this there is a second fortified enclosure of about the same size. Both these are surrounded by massive earthen ramparts and broad ditches.....To the south lies the Muhammedan quarter of Damdama or the encampment, extending in a straggling way down......From this point there is an embanked road leading to the east past the two great lakes called Dahal Dighi and Kala Dighi. The former is supposed to be of Muhammedan construction as it lies from east to west . . . . . "³
v2.c32.s8.14
³ ASC. xv. 95-100.
v2.c32.s8.15
Here we have an accurate picture of the first capital of the Muslim power in Bengal; the enclosed squares were redoubts on the north, and the cantonment in the south an additional defence to the old Hindu fort.⁴ 5. Fief of Husām-uddin ‘Iwaz: Ganguri (Nāsiri. Trans. 575). Blochmann has not definitely identified Ganguri for which he suggests the reading Kangor. Mr. R. D. Banerji keeps to Ganguri leaving it unidentified. The fact that Husām-uddin is mentioned as having gone from his fief to receive Qāe-māz Rumi, who was coming down from Oudh to Bengal—apparently on the frontier—perhaps indicates that his fief of Ganguri was in that direction. I identify Ganguri with mahal Gankarah in Sarkar Tanda of Todar-mal’s Rent-roll. (Ain. Trans. III. 130). Taking into consideration its strategic position with regard to Bakhtyār’s principality of Lakhnawati, its location in the later Sarkar of Tanda is reasonable.
v2.c32.s8.16
⁴ See also Kunja Govinda Goswami, *PHC.* 1939, pp. 197 ff.
v2.c32.s8.17
6. Jaj-nagar of the Tabaqāt-i-Nāsiri: I agree with Rai Bahadur Monmohan Chakravarti in holding that “In the Tabaqāt-i-Nāsiri Jajnagar always means Orissa, probably north Orissa. The name is derived from Jajpur town on the bank of the Vaitarani river, an old headquarter of north-Orissa.”¹ But Mr. R. D. Banerji held to the last, “Jajnagar is Jajllanagar....in Chhattisgarh district,” though he admits, “The majority of Mussalman writers of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries mention Jajnagar when they intend to refer to Orissa.”²
v2.c32.s8.18
¹ JASB. v. 1909, 217.
v2.c32.s8.19
² History of Orissa, I. 258.
v2.c32.s8.20
7. Lakhnor of the T. Nāsiri: There is hardly any difference of opinion among scholars that Lakhnor of the Muslim writers was situated “somewhere near the ancient town of Nagar in the Birbhum district.”³ Blochmann’s Lakarkuda in Birbhum⁴ is to be definitely rejected in favour of Nagar or Rajnagar, once perhaps the capital of some Hindu Rajah as the place meant by Lakhnor, (Lakaur, Langaur, variants in the text of Nasiri). Nagore is in Lat. 23-57′, Long. 87-19′.⁵ Bhattasali discusses the question of identification of Lakhnor with Nagar very ably, and his opinion I accept as accurate.⁶
v2.c32.s8.21
³ Banerji-Orissa. I, 258.
v2.c32.s8.22
⁴ JASB. 1873, p. 212.
v2.c32.s8.23
⁵ For a notice of its ruins, Hunter, Stat. Bengal, IV; ASC. VIII.
v2.c32.s8.24
⁶ New Saktipur Grant of Lakshmanasena (JRAS. 1935; see also Hodivala-Studies. 212-213).
v2.c32.s8.25
8. Masidah and Santosh: Santosh is given as pargana No. 68 of Dinajpur district by Hunter, and Hasidah as No. 58. Santosh is modern Mahiganj situated on the eastern bank of the Atreyi river under thana Potnitala (Rennell, Sheet No. 7. Lat. 25, N. Long. 1W.). Moseeda is shown as a large pargana south of Mahiganj and north of Jangiepour (Jangipur) extending on both banks of the Atreyi (ibid.).⁷ 9. *Nudia*: Corruption of Navadvīpa, a well-known place in Bengal. (Lat. 23. 25'; long. 86. 55'). No memorials of Muhammad Bakhtyār's time I found there except some alleged tombs of *shāhids*. The city surprised by Bakhtyār perhaps stood between *Bilpukur* and *Samudragarh* where alleged ruins of Lakhshmaṇasena's time are pointed out.¹ The location of the old city is the subject of a keen controversy which it is needless to notice.
v2.c32.s8.26
⁷ See also Blochmann, Contributions (JASB. 1875, pp. 284 ff).
v2.c32.s8.27
¹ Rajani Chakravarti, *Gauḍer-Itihāsa*, 204.
Cites (1)
- Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī — Minhāj al-Dīn Jūzjānī