Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/248

 240 KHE the northwards, and in 992A.D., we find that a local chief named Lalla governed at Garh Gajana or Iláhábas near Dewal. This place is sixteen miles south-east of Pílíbhít on the bank of the Katni náliv, and thirty-five roiles north-west of Barkhár. In fact all the capitals of the Bachhil clan- Barkhár, Nigohi, Garh Gajana, Kamp on the Sárda—are within a few niles of each other, two in Shahjaháopur west of the Gumti, two in Kheri east of the old river. We know nothing about Lalla or his race except from the inscription which he caused to be cut, and the coins which are still to be found. From them we learn that the people were Hindus, as might have been surmised from the Buddhist pilgrims not having visited or referred to any shrines in the neighbourhood when passing to and from Kanauj. There we find a canal twenty miles long connecting transversely two affluents of the river Garra, the Khanaut, and the Mála. This canal was probably mainly intended for defensive purposes; for at Dewal it is made to take almost a complete circuit round a high mound on which the ruins of the Bachbil pital are still to be seen, covered with the jungle of many centuries. There are the remains of several temples, a figure of the Varáha or boar avtar of Vishnu, so abundant on coins all over Kheri; also several arghas or bases for lingams, probably demolished by the Moslems, kankar images of Shiva and Debi, and lastly an inscription dated Sambat 1049 or 992 A.D.* There we get our second glimpse at the Bachhils. This little king- dom was one of the numerous small sovereignties which were formed in the east of the Ganges after the decline of Buddhism, and which were all absorbed in Kanauj on the rise of the Ráthor sovereignty. about 1072 A.D. The inscription is in the Katila character, so called from every letter having a bottom stroke or tail bent to the right. It recites that Rája Lalla gave villages to the Brahmans, that he had cut a canal from the Nirmala (pellucid) river, now contracted to Mála; that the villages were shaded by pleasant trees, and watered by this beautiful" and holy." Katha nadi "or It is now called Katni. The inscription proves what is apparent enough from the appearance of the channel that it is artificial. This Katni flows about twelve miles west of the Gumti; about twelve miles east of that river is another Kathna, upon whose banks stands Atwa ano- ther later capital of the Bachhils; it is more than probable that this river too has an artificial channel. The Báchbils were then an enterprizing race in those days; they were Hindus in faith; they worshipped Vishňu under the boar avtár; they had a coinage both in silver and gold, many specimens of which have been found near their old capitals on the Kathna. It seems, too, that their dynasty was of sufficient intelligence and energy to construct no less than two canals about a hundred miles in length: one of them is still navi- gable, the other has somewhat silted up. They did more apparently for the material improvement of the country in the tenth century of the Volume XIX., 1856, page 189, 1973, page 777. Priprep's Tabler, page 258 eanal."
 * Cunningham's Arcbæolo gical Report, Volume I., Page 352. Journal Asiatic Society,