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 GON

562

wife of'Udatt Singh's second son, Pahlwan Singh, whose raja, and the threats referred to the death of Raja Jai Singh in Naipal, and the flight of Guman Singh to

Badna was the

grandson,

Guman Singh, became

Ajodhya.

On

the marriage of his son, Mangal Singh, with a lady of the Kalhans Raja Udatt Singh restored to the Pardspur rdja as much of his estates conquered by Datt Singh as his descendant at present holds. The reign The Raja of Bansi had died, leaving of Mangal Singh was very short. two sons by different ranis, one of the Janwar family of Balrampur, the The succession was disputed, and other of the Surajbansis of Amorha. Mangal Singh, as the it seemed as if the rival clans would come to war. most powerful prince in the neighbourhood, and well able to support his decision in arms, was accepted as arbitrator, and marched into the Basti district. He had not been there many days when he was foully assassinated, while sleeping with a single attendant in his tent, by Zalim Singh, the chief of the Surajbansis. His son, Shiu Parshad Singh, at once led the Bisen forces into Amorha, and laid the whole pargana waste, killing every Surajbansi that fell into his hands nor did he relax his hold on it till it was transferred with the rest of Sarkdr Gorakhpur to the English by the Nawab of Oudh. Shiu Parshad seems to have been a peaceful and prudent prince, and retained till his death the rule, in subordination He to Lucknow, of the whole of the muhal cut out by his great ancestor. was succeeded by his son R^ja Jai Singh, who presumed on his power, and declined to pay his tribute to the King of Oudh. An Englishman, known to tradition as Major Hanak, had been sent with the nazim of Bahraich to assist in the collection of the revenue, and attempted to establish an indigo factory at Gohani. Jai Singh resented the intrusion into the very village whence his family had their origin, and ill-treated the major's labourers. This led to a short and decisive encounter on the banks of the Tirhi, in which the raja's forces were completely routed, and his ranis saved with difficulty by the Pandes who formed their body-guard. Jai Singh fled to the hills, where he died, and his power was exercised for a short time by his chief rdni, Phtjl Kunwar. The nearest relatives in the male line now were the descendants of Pahlwan Singh, the younger brother of the unfortunate Raja Mangal Singh, who, up to this time, had held the appanage of Mahnon. Of his three sons, Duniapat, the eldest, had died, leaving two sons, Guman Sing and Daljit Singh, the eldest a child of eight or ten years of age. Him Rani Phiil Kunwar adopted, and endeavoured to seat in the raj but Pahlwan Singh's second son, Hindupat Singh, objected to this arrangement, and advanced his mature age and experience in arms as qualifications for the chieftainship. Rani Phul Kunwar was aware of his intentions, and secluded herself in the fort of the Bankata Bisens, but eventually allowed herself to be enticed out of her refuge, and was murdered in her palankin, while crossing the Bis6hi, by Hindupat Singh, who immediately marched on Bankata to possess himself of the youthful Guman Singh but he had timely notice, and contrived to escape to Ajodhya. After a time he has induced to return to Gonda, where his life was preserved from the machinations of his uncle by the indefatigable vigilance of the Pandes, Karia Ram, Bakhtawar Ram, and Mardan Ram. These were the sons of Bhawan Datt Pande, who. clan.

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