Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/688

670 in 1760, he was constrained to purchase peace by its cession to the Marhattds. Upon the fall of the Peshwd in 1818, Bijdpur passed into the hands of the British, and was by them included in the territory assigned to the Rajd of Satdrd. The place, as already intimated, is rich in monuments of the bygone period when Bijapur was the capital of a powerful and flourishing Mahometan kingdom. Such traces of the past it is always desirable to preserve to the greatest possible extent, as they furnish the best com mentary upon the history of the times in which they were raised, and, indeed, constitute their history, so far as manners are concerned. It is fortunate that their value was duly appreciated by the late Raja of Satdrd, who took great pains to preserve them; and that the British Govern ment, participating in the same feeling, has, since the country passed into its possession, manifested great zeal in rescuing these magnificent relics from the ravages of time. Bijapur is distant 130 miles S.E. of Satara, and 245 S.E. of Bombay.  BIJNAUR, a district of British India, under the Lieu- tenant-Governor of the North-West Provinces, lying be tween 29 1 and 29 58 N. lat, and 78 1 and 78 55 E. long., is bounded on the N.E. by the British district of Garhwal, on the E. and S.E. by the British district of Moradabad, and on the W. by the British districts of Mirat, Muzaffarnagar, and Sahdranpur. The aspect of the country is generally a level plain, but the northern part of it rises towards the Himalayas, the greatest eleva tion being 1342 feet above the sea-level. The Koh and Rdmgangd are the only streams that flow through the district.

1em 1em  BIKÁNIR, a native state of Rdjputdnd, under the political superintendence of the British Government, lies between 27 30 and 29 55 N. lat., and 72 30 and 75 40 E. long. It is bounded on the N&quot;. by the Panjdb, on the E. by the British districts of Haridud and Shekdwati, on the S. by the native state of Jodhpur or Mdrwdr, and on the W. by the native states of Jasalme&quot;r and Bhdwalpur. Length of the state from E. to W. 200 miles ; breadth, 160 miles; area, 17,676 square miles. The natural aspect of the country is one desolate tract, without a single per manently running stream. Its surface is overspread with undulating sand-hills, of from 20 to 100 feet above the average level, and so loose that men and quadrupeds stepping off the beaten track sink as if in snow. Two streams, the Kdturi and Gdgar attempt to flow through this dismal region, but are lost in its sands. Water is very scarce, and is raised from wells of from 250 to 340 feet in depth. A few shallow salt lakes are filled by rain water, but they dry up on the setting in of hot weather, leaving a thick crust of salt on their beds, which is used for commercial and domestic purposes. The population of the state has been estimated at 539,000, consisting chiefly of Jdts, Rajputs (to which race the chief belongs), and other Hindu tribes, inhabiting 1814 villages, which, according to Elphinstone, are composed of &quot; a few round huts of straw, with low walls and conical roofs, like little stacks of corn.&quot; Bajrd and moth (two species of millet) and water melons are almost the only agricultural products. The inhabitants are very poor. They live chiefly by pasturage, rearing camels, and horses of a fine breed, which fetch good prices. From the wool which their sheep yield they manufacture every article of native dress and good blankets. The other industries are leather work, sugar-refining, goldsmith s work, iron, brass, copper, stone masonry, tanning, weaving, dyeing, and carpentry. In 1870-71 the total revenue amounted to 111,546, and the expenditure to 123,196. The state is in debt, and is said to be badly managed, the present Mahdrdjd being entirely guided by favourites. The military force of the state amounts to 5000 regulars, horse and foot. Bikdnir was invaded by the adventurer George Thomas in 1799, who levied from the Raja a black mail of 20,000. The Edjd entered into a treaty of dependence with the British Government in 1818. Principal towns Bikauir, the capital, Chnru, Rajgarh, Ratangarh, and Reni. The town of Bikdnir is surrounded by a stone wall, 6 feet thick, 15 to 30 feet high, and 3? miles in circuit, with five gates and three sally-ports. Estimated population, 60,000. The citadel is half a mile north-east of the city, and is surrounded by a rampart with bastions.  BILÁSPUR, a district of British India, in the Central Provinces, forms the northern section of the Chhattisgarh plateau, and is situated between 21 45 and 23 10 N&quot;. lat, and 81 30 and 83 15 E. long. It is bounded on the N. by the native states of Rewd and Korid ; on the E. by the Udaipur tributary state of Chhota Ndgpur, and the district of Sambalpur ; on the S. by the Rdipur district ; and on the W. by the hilly tracts of Mandla and Bdldghdt. Extreme length of the district north and south, 106 miles ; extreme breadth from east to west, 136 miles; area, 7798 square miles. Bildspur district forms the upper half of the basin of the River Mahdnadi. It is almost enclosed on the north, west, and east by ranges of hills, while its southern boundary is generally open and accessible, well cultivated, and closely dotted with villages embedded in groups of fruit trees. The principal hills are (1), the Maikal range, situated in the north-western extremity of the district ; (2), a chain of hills forming part of the Vind- hyan range, on the north ; (3), the Korbd hills, an offshoot of the Vindhyas, on the eastern boundary ; and (4), the Sondkhdn block of hills, in the vicinity of the Mahdnadi 