Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/341

 ;

BAR

263

—

Small-pox. This disease may be said to be epidemic in this every month in the year returning deaths under this head. Cattle disease. since 1871-72.

district,

—No

cattle disease has been reported in this district few cases occurred during those years in the Kursi, Fatehpur, Ramnagar and Nawabganj portions of the district.

A

There is no record to show the number of cattle attacked, or the number, which died so far as I can learn, the cattle of this district have not suffered from the extension of cultivation at the expense of the pasture

lands.

—

Fairs. The following are the principal fairs and religious festivals held in this district.

—

Lodhora. At Lodhora, a village one and a half miles from Ramnagar, two annual fairs are held they take place generally in the last quarter of the moon, in February or March and in October or November, about 8,000 to 10,000 persons assemble all Hindus. The fair lasts from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Respectable females do not attend the February and March fairs for fear of being insulted during the holi, which commences immediately after the fair. In the fair held in October or November, there are more women than men present. The principal ceremoney consists in pouring holy water over the idol of Mahadeo, and then the offering of a few pice and sweetmeats. Vows are made, and requests are supposed to be granted. This idol is the principal attraction. Sweetmeats, parched gram, sugarcane, are the principal articles sold. few cloth merchants from Cawnpore generally visit this fair.

—



A

Kotwa.

—A

fair is

Kotwa

held at

in

November

the

of every year

from sixty to seventy thousand Hindus generally assemble. The ceremony consists in the offering of pice and sweetmeats to the idol Mahadeo in the temple, and bathing in an adjoining tank, which is supposed to wash away Cheap jewellery, sweetmeats and Manchester goods are the all their sins. principal things offered for sale.

—

Satrikh. At Satrikh, a village five miles from Nawabganj, a fair held by the Muhammadans at the shrine of one of their saints. It generally takes place in the month of May. Fifty to sixty thousand true believers assemble and remain a couple of days offerings of small coins and handfuls of grain are made at the shrine of Salar Sahu. Sweetmeats and The fair is very profitable to the proprietors dishes of roast beef are sold. is



of the shrine.

—

Makhd-O/m Sdhib-ka-mela. Makhdfim Sahib-ka-mela is held at qasba Rudauli in the May of every year, about the same time as the Satrikh fair. It is a Muhammadan assembly, at which about fifty thousand people attend it lasts a couple of days. Prayers are offered up at the shrine of one of their saints, and offerings of money, cloth and grain are made.

BARA BANKI—District Bara Banki. —This may be considered the quarters, it gives

name

of Nawabganj, and the

to the district. civil

heada mile to the north the most part on land

It is about

station is built for