English
Plenty of silk-worms ave found in its environs, and raw silk is turned out. And for a period of time, the factory of the English Company has been fixed on the other side of the Mahananda. They buy cotton and silk piece- goods, made to order of the chiefs of the English Company, who make advances of money in the shape of bai ‘ sallam. Raw silk is also manufactured in the factory. And since two or three years, an indigo-factory has been erected, close to the above factory. The Company manufactures and purchases iudigo, loads it on ships, and exports it to its own country. Similarly, close to the ruins of Gaur, in the village of Goamalti, another masonry-built factory has been erected ; at it also indigo is manufactured. Although a description of the town of Maldah was not necessary, yet as since two years my master, Mr. George Udney (May his fortune always last) has been holding here the office of the Chief of the factory of the Company, and also since in this place this humble servant has been engaged in the composition and compilation of this book, the above Narrative has been given. 2 enmity; bo the saint went [to Bengal. His tomb is in the port of Dev Mahal (or Maldiveisle).—See Ain-i-Akbari, Vol. II, p. 366. 1 ghaikh Nur Qutbu-l-'Alam was son and vicegerent of Shaikh Alau-l-Huq (the latter having been vicegerent of Shaikh Akhi Siraj). He was a mystic of eminence, and died in A.H. 808 (A.C. 1405) and was buried at Panduah.- See Ain , Vo). II, p. 371. 2 Note on 8arkart of Bengal (principally compiled from Blochmann's Contnbu- 47 SECTION IV.—A BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE RULE OF THE RAIAN (THE HINDU CHIEFS), IN ANCIENT TIMES, IN THE KINGDOM OF BENGAL. Since by the laudable endeavours of Bang, son of Hind, the dominions of Bengal were populated, his descendants, one after tion, Tabaqat-i-Nafiri, Tarikh-i-Firnz Shahi, Ain-i-Akbnri, Badoani, Thomas’* Initial ooioage, Iqbaliiamah-i-Jahangiri, Badshahnamah, and Alaingirnamah.) Before proceeding to the next section, it may be noted here that our author has not desoribed all the Sarkars or old Mosalruan administrative divisions or districts of Bengal. Bengal before Muhammadan conquest in 1198 A.C. consisted of five Divisions, namely (1) Radha, the tract south of the Ganges and west of the. Hughlij (2) Bagdi, the deltaic tract of the Ganges; (3) Bnnga, the tract to the east and beyond tl.e delta; (A) Barendra, the tracts to’ the north of the Paddn and between the Karatya and Mnhnnanda rivers, aud (5) Mithila, the oountry west of the Mahananda (See Hamilton’s “ Hindustan These Divisions appear to have been under different Hindu Rajas r-r petty chieftains, who had no oohesion amongst them, aud were under no allegiance ‘I"" 7 Till- “ 7 ’ ""‘I Wh0S ° f ° rm ° f patriarchal. When Bakh iar Khilji with eighteen troopers stormed Nadia, then the Hindu capital of Bengal, aud conquered Bengal, in 1198 A.C. (59* AH) ho appears to have conquered Mithila, Barendra, Radha, and theWth-western po,tiou o Bagdi. This tract was named Vilayet-i-Lakhnant. after itscapital, Lakhnauti city. Its extent is roughly described in 1245 A. C (641 4 HI in T, " he "' >othor veiled Minhaj says that the V,ln;et-,.Lakhnauti lies to both sides of the Ganges and consists of two wings, the eastern one is called Barendra to wS boTongs tTa g t’ ttDd th0 r? Cftl,0d 1111 (Rad ' ia) 10 ' Vhich bakhnanti belongs, that on one s.de the town of Lakhnauti is connected with Deohot, and on the other side with Lakhnor by a causewav or ^r"t now^k 10,1 <lay3 ’ . di8tan0e - De ° k0t hns been identified with an old fort, now known simply a 8 Damdamnh, on the left branch i llZT n> 8 ° a ? °! Di ^ ipUr ’ and c,03e t0 Gangarampur. Bang or East , by s s ; in he —— 48 another, rendering them habitable in a beautiful form, ruled over Sarkars North ami Kant of the Oanget. 1. Snrkar Lakhnauti or Jeunatubad eitending from Teliagadhi (near Col- gong), including a few mahals now belonging to Bbagalpur and Purneah dis¬ tricts, and the whole of Maldah district. Sixty-six mahals: kbalsa revenue, Rs. 4,71,174. 2. Sarkir Purneah, comprising a great portion of the present district of Purnenh, ns far as the Mahananda. Nine mahala ; revenue Rs. 1,60,219. 3. Sarkar Tajpur, extending over eastern Parneah, east of the Mahananda and western Dinajpur. Twenty-nine mahals; revenne Ra. 1,62,096. 4. Sarkir Panjrih, north-east of the town of Dinajpur, comprising a large part of Dinajpur district. Twenty-one mahals ; revenue Ra. 1,45,081.. 5. Sarkir Gborajhat, comprising portions of Dinajpur, Raugpur, and Bogra districts, as far as the Brahmapntri. Eighty-four mahals; revenue Rs. 2,02,077. 6. Sarkir Barbokabad, comprising portions of Maldah, Dinajpur and large portions of Rajahahi and Bogra. Thirty-eight mahals; revenue Rs. 4,36,288. 7. Sarkir Bazuha comprising portions of Rajahahi, Bogra, Pabna, Maiman- singh, and reaching a little beyond the town of Dacca in the south. Thiry-two mahals; revenue Rs. 9,87,921. 8. Sirkir Silhat. Eight mahals; revenne Ra. 1,67,032. 9. Sarkir 8unargaon, extending to both sides of the Megna and the Brahmaputra, including portions of western Tipperah, eastern Daoca, Mairaan- aingh and Noakhali. Fifty-two mahals; revenue Rs. 2,58,283.—(See also Dr. Wise’s ‘ note oirSunargaon,’ J.A..9., 1874, No. 1, P- 82). 10. Sarkir Chatgara. Seven mahals ; revenue, Rs. 2,85,607. 8ar1cart in tfu. Delta of Me Oanget. 11. Sarkir Sntgaon comprised a smili portion to the west of the Haghli, whilst a large portion comprised the modern districts of the 24-Parganas to the Kabadak river, western Nadia, south-western Murshidabid, and extended in the sooth to Hatiagarh below Diamond Harbour. To this Sarkar belonged mah..l FUlkatta (Caloutta) which together with 2 other raahalB paid in 1532 a land revenue of Rs. 23,405. Fifty-three mahals; revenue Rs. 4,18,118.—See also J.A.S., 1870, p. 280. 12 Sarkir Mahmudabid, so called after Mahmud Shah, King of Bengal (846 A H.), comprising north-eastern Nadia, north-eastern Jessore, and western Faridpnr. Eighty-eight mahals; revenue, Hs. 2,90,256. 13 Sarkir Kh ilifatibad, comprising southern Jessore and western Baqir- ganj (Backergungc). The Sarkar is so named after the haveli Khalifatibid (or ‘clearance of Khalifah’ ^in Jahin) near Bagerbst^ The largest mahal of this Sarkar was Jesar (Jessore) or Rasulpur. Thirty- mahals ; revenue. Rs. 135,053. In this Sarkar is also A ’'* 1 P ur ’^ h, ° h Pf ° Blochmnnn surmises to have been the residence of Snlfan Alauddin Hnsam £h5h, before the latter became King of Bengal. 49 the country. The first person who presided over the sovereignty 14. Sarkir Fathabad, bo called after Fath Shah, King of Bengal (886 A.H.) comprising a email portion of Jessore, a large part of Fnridpnr, northern Baqirganj, a portion of Dhnka district, the island of Dakhin Shohbazpur, and Sondip, at the month of the Megna. The town of Faridpiir lies in the baveli pergana of Fathabad. 81 mahals; revenue Rs. 1.09,239, 16. Sarkir Bakla or Bogla, south-east of the preceding, comprised portionsiT Baqirganj and Dhaka districts. Fonrtnahals ; revenue Rs. 1,78,766. Barhxrs South of the Ganges and West of the Bhagirati (Hughli.) 16. Sarkar Udner, or Tandah, comprising the greater portion of Murshidabid district, with portion of Birbhnm. Fifty-two mahals; revenue Rs. 6,01,985. Snlaiman §h£h Kararsni, the last but one of the Afghan Kings of Bengal, moved the seat of Government to Tandah from Ganr in 1664 A C., that is, 11 years before the rain of the latter.—(^in-i-Akbnri, Vol. II. p. ISOr.) 17. Sarkar Sharifabid, south of the preceding, comprising remaining por¬ tions of Birbhnm, nnd a large portion of Burdwan districts, including the town of Burdwan. Twenty-six mahals ; rovenae Rs. 6,62,218. 18. Sarkar Snlaimnnabnd.so called after Snlaiman Shah, King of Bengal, comprising a few southern parganas in the modern districts of Nadia, Burdwan and the whole north of Haghli district, rnndaah on the E. I. R. belonged to this Sarkar. The chief town of the Sarknr called Solaimanabld (after¬ wards ohanged to Salimabsd) was on the left bank of the Damudar, south¬ east of the town of Burdwan. Thirty-one mahals ; revenne Rs. 4,40,749. 19. Sarkar Madaran, extended in a semicircle from Nngor in western Bir- bhnm, over Raniganj along the Damudar to above Burdwan. \nd from there over Khnnd Ghosh, Jahauabid, Chandrakona (western Haghli district to Uandalgh&t at the month of the Kupnarain river. .Sixteen mahals ; revena. Rs. 2,36,085. The above 19 Sarkiirs whioh made np Bengal Proper in 1682, paid a revenue on khalte lands (crown lands) inclusive of a few duties on salt, hats, and fisheries, of Rs. 6,8,87,052. Acoording to Grant the vnlue of jagir lands was fixed at Rs. 4,348,892, so that in 1582 A O. and from before it, Rs. 10,685,944 was the total revenue of Bengal.—( See J.A.S , 1873, p. 219). This was levied from rynU in specie, ns the equivalent of the sixth share of the entire produce of the land, elaimed by the sovereign as his share.—(See jfrn-i'-Afcbari). pp. 55 and 63, Vol. 2. This rent-roll remained in force during the reign of Jahangir. Undei Shah Jnhnn, the boundaries of Bengal were extended on thp soul h-west, Medni- par and Hijli having been annexed to Bengal, and in the east and north-east by conquests in Tipperah and Koch Hajo; and when Prinoe ghuja was made Governor of Bengal he made about 1658 A.C., a new rent-roll whioh Bhewed 84 Sarknrs and 1,350 mahals, and a total revenne, in khalsa nnd jagir lands, of Rs. 1,81,15,907.—* {See J.A.S., 1873, p. 219). ghnja’s rent-roll remained in force till. 1723 A.C., an addition having been made after the re-conquest of Chittagong, and conquest of Assam and Koch Behar in Anrangzeb’a time.