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ALA

22

Shahjahdnpur, only sixteen miles off, will some day develope this backward branch of the agriculture of the pargana.

There is no scarcity of cultivators at present, but the pressure of populaupon soil, only 258 to the square mile, is too light to stimulate the Nikumbhs to stub their wastes and improve their careless tillage.

tion lazy

Less than six acres is the average area of cultivation to each plough, a lower one than anywhere else in the district. Roads are much wanted. A cart-track, for it is little more, runs through the pargana from northwest to south-east, on the way from Shahjahanpur to Pihani. The staple products are millet, wheat, barley, gram, country cotton, and arhar. Of the 43 villages, 22J are owned by Nikumbh Rajputs and 9 by Chamar Gaurs, 4 have been decreed to Government, 1 is held by Tiwari Brahmans, 2 by Kayaths, and 4 J by Muhammadans. The tenures are zemindari and imperfect pattidari.

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The land revenue demand, excluding cesses, amounts to Rs. 24,.5l7, 89 per cent, on the summary jama, and falls at Rs. 1-15-7 per cul-

rise of '

tivated acre; Re. 0-10-5 per acre of total area, Rs. 11-6-3 per plough, Rs. 2-4-3 per head of agricultural, and Rs. 1-9-9 of total population.

The population

is

Hindus

15,221.

to

Muhammadans

are 13,713 to

males to females, 8,398 to 6,823 and agriculturists to non-agriculThree-fifths of the Muhammaturists, 10,965, or 72 per cent., to 4,256. dans are converted Ahirs (Ghosis). fifth of the Hindus are Chamars. Nikumbh Chhattris are rather less than a sixth Brahmans, Basis, and Ahirs, make up nearly a third. Of the other castes, Banians and Mur^os are most numerous. 1,508





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No melas are held. There is a village school at Karawan (33), with a branch at Bijgawan (32). Weekly markets are held at Karlwan on Wednesdays, and at Para on Sundays. Until 1703 A. D., Alamnagar was included in the great Kheri pargana of Barwar Anjana, Sarkar KhairaLocal tradition sketches the following outline of the pargana's past Thatheras held it until, at some uncertain period in the later days of Hindu dominion, a band of Gaur Chhattris, headed by Raja Kuber Sah crossed the Ganges from Kanauj and crushed them out. Later on, about a generation before the fall of Kanauj, the Nikumbhs got a footing in the pargana in this wise.— body of Kachhwaha Chhattris under the leadership of Naruk Sah, left Arwal, in Jaipur, and sought service under the Tunwar raja of Delhi. By him they were deputed to reduce the rebel Bhais Ahirs of Pipargaon, in Farukhabad. bad.

history.

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They did their work, and were rewarded in the usual fashion with a grant of the rebel tract.

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To Nanhar Singh, son of Naruk Sah, were born four sons, Narpat, Magru, Gajpat, and Jhagrli. Of these, Gajpat and Jhagrti were fortunate enough to render signal service to Santan, the powerful Sombansi rdja of Santan Khera (Sandi). Santan had fallen into disfavour with his chief the raja of Kanauj, and was in durance there. The Kachhwahas, Gajpat' and Jhagrli, procured his release. In gratitude for their help, Raja