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And there is also one of those curious wells called Bdolis, in a fair state of preservation, built by a Tiwari Brahman named Bhikha. The Moslem places of worship, too, are numerous. In Biswdn itself are 21, one of which, the mosque of Mumtaz Khan, who lived in the reign of

Muhammadpur.

Aurangzeb, is remarkable for its solidity and for the size of the kankar In the stone cornice is cut an inscription blocks used in its construction. showing that it was erected in 1027 A.H., or 262 years ago. The pargana derives its name from the town, for the origin of the name of which the reader is referred to the article describing it. Formed by king Akbar out of the lands of 13 tappas, it contained 786 villages, 54 of which, constituting tappa Kuchlai, were afterwards transferred to the Misrikh sub-division. The old name was Muazzamnagar aMas Lona, and the lands were the possession of Bhars, Kachheras, and Rurhs. These were succeeded by the Kayaths, Moslems, and Rajputs, settled in it by Todar Mai their descendants still hold the greater part of it to the present day. In 1028 A.D. a battle was fought in the neighbourhood of what is now Biswan Khas between the Ikauna raja Sohildeo and the Moslem invader Sayyad Salar, of Ghazni. The scene of the battle is stiU pointed out, and the town contains the tombs of five of the martyrs who fell in the action. The 215 mauzas of the pargana are thus held Taluqdari : 21 Kayaths, 44 Moslems (Mahmudabad), 5 Bais, 2 Raikwars, 27 Seths. Zamindari : 25 Kayaths, 13 Moslems 17 Gaurs, 6 Panwars, 10 Janw^rs, 16 Bisen Kunwars, 5 Jangre and Raghubansis, 2 Raghubansis, 14 Bachhils, 2 Bais, 2 Kasbhurias, 2 Muafidars, 2 Seths, or by caste Khattris



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81

46

Eajput Kayath

villages.

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57 29

Moslem

villages. Setli Khattris ,

The

chief taluqdars are the Rija of Mahmudabad, the Biswan qdnfingos, and the agricultural capitalists, Seths Sita and Raghubardayal. An account of the family of the first-mentioned is to be found in pargana Mahmudabad. His estates in Biswan have been acquired generally by

Ram

mortgages executed within the 12 years anterior to annexation.

The Seths, too, acquired their property chiefly by mortgage, and a few of the mortgagors in both instances have succeeded in redeeming their ancestral estates. The title of the qanungos goes further back. In 1150 A.D. their ancestor was granted 20 villages in jagir, which his family continued to hold for a considerable period of time, until driven out by the Bhars and Kachheras. They came back in king Akbar's time, and were then appointed qanungos, which office they hold still. Thakur Dariao Singh, father to the present taluqdars, behaved well in the mutiny and was rewarded accordingly by a grant of land of an annual value of Rs. 1,000. The Seths also, for similar services, were rewarded with an estate worth Rs. 2,000 a year.

Among the non-taluqdari zamindars is the Musalman Chaudhri Muhammad Bakhsh, of Biswan, whose great-grandfather Deo Singh, a Kdyath, left an only son, Madar Bakhsh, by a Musalman mother, to whom DeoSingh's estate went. He was a member of the family of Dariao Singh above-mentioned. The Hindu Chaudhris, Arjun Singh and others also are non-taluqdari zamindars, as also are the Barchatta Gaurs and the Bachhils of Bambhaur, and the Janwdrs of TJlra and the Kunwars of Deokalia.