Page:Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India Vol 14.pdf/93

Rh Satlej on the west and to Bikaner on the south-west. The capital is said to have been called Dardera, or Dardarera, which Sir Elliot places about 180 miles to the south-west of Hansi. But, according to my own information, it should rather be looked for to the west of Hansi, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Marot, along the old course of the Hakra River. Most of this country is now divided between Bikaner and Banâwalpur. Akbar used playfully to call it jungul-des, but its ancient name was Bâgar-des, and its Raja was commonly known as Bâgari Rao. În the reign of Jahângir, Chaplain Terry calls Bikaner the capital of Bakar. The earliest notice that I have found of Bâgar is in the account of the final campaign of Kutbuddin Aibek against Delhi, when marching from Kobrain viâ Hânsi – "the soldiers of Islâm came up to the army of Hind on the borders of Bâgar."

The name of Guga's wife is also given as Sila-De and Silan-De, and her father's name as Singa Châhil, of Sirsa Pâtan. Silan means "virtuous, beautiful," and Sirial is only a variation of the same name.

The story of Guga is known all over Northern India, from the Himâlaya mountains to Narbada. Songs are sung in his praise on every return of his birth-day, and he is worshipped equally by Hindus and by Muhammadans; by the former as Guga Chauhân, the invincible champion of their faith, and by the latter as Guga Pir and Zâhar Pir, the brave convert to Islamism. He is also, strange to say, more especially revered by the low class Bhangis or sweepers, who celebrate his birth-day by a grand procession with a huge black flag, and the singing of numerous songs in his praise. My own information has been obtained from widely different sources, from Sirsâwa and Sahâranpur, from Agra, Bhatner, and Ludiana, as well as from the Kunets and Bhangis of the hill states round Simla. I will now give a few notes of the information that I have picked up.

The whole legend of Guga is a wild romance from before his birth until the time when he used to visit his wife after his death. The story of his birth is by far the most popular part of his legend. His father Vatsa Raja Chauhan of Bâgar-des had married two sisters of the Tomara tribe named Bâchal and Kâchal, both of whom remained barren for several years.