Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/273

 KHE

265

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The Janivdrs. ^Regarding the Janwars of Kheri, the fourth of the great families above referred to, little need be said. Their annals are to be found in detail in the Kheri pargana article. They take their origin from one Jamni Bhan, who in 1553 obtained the post of chaudhri in Kheri with the right to levy two pice on all the lands in that pargana. His descendants in 1730, then styled " rae," possessed some villages. In 1780 the chakladar gave them many villages, and in 1823 they obtained the pargana of Srinagar consisting of 299 villages. In 1839 their possessions were still further extended, and they obtained 30 villages in pargana Karanpur or northern Paila. At present they are the owners of 330 villages comprising the large taluqas of Oel, Mahewa, and Kaimahra, with a small share in the Lakhrawan estate.

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The Jdngres. The clan claims descent from Chaturbhuj, who is said have come from Jalaun in Alamglr's time and established himself in Dhaurahra; but nothing is known of him or his descendaats prior to Jodh Singh, who, in the seventh generation from Chaturbhuj, held the country now occupied by parganas Dhauraha, Nigh^san, Bhiir, and half of FirozaHe was a proud and defiant man, confident in the strength of his bad. country with deep rivers in front, and the huge forest of the tarai behind, The nazim. Raja Sital Parin which he could at any time take refuge. shad, in 1192 Fasli (1782 A.D.), thought that the time had come when the semi-independent chiefs of north-west Oudh might be reduced the Rohillas, their constant allies, who had several times established a protectorate over this quarter had been crushed, and the opportunity was favourThe threatened rajas combined for mutual defence they were the able. a Jdngre, an Ahban, and a lords of Dhaurahra, Mitauli, and Laharpur, Gaur. They joined their forces and awaited the attack; but thinking that they might gain by advancing, they marched to Tandiaon in Hardoi, lay in ambush there, and completely routed the raja's lieutenant with the loss of to





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nineteen guns.

This enraged the

raja,

who moved



against the rebels with

an immense army ; they made a stand outside Dhaurahra, but were outflanked and commenced a retreat through the town streets, the royal troops The way lay under the walls of Raja pressing on them, but not very fiercely. Jodh Singh's fort. Stung by the thought that his home and hearth would be desecrated by the polluting touch of the Turk, he disengaged himself from the rear of his army, and rushing forward in front of the advancing enemy cried out, " Is there anyone of great birth among you who will cross swords with me." A Sayyad, a valiant warrior, stepped forward. The two closed between the armies ^he Sayyad almost severed Jodh Singh's head from his body, but the dying Chhattri had strength enough to drive his dagger into his foe's heart, and the two fell mortally wounded side by side. They are buried within a stone's throw of each other, and the people still tell with pride of the only heroic deed which they ever heard of.

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The rebel force dismayed by the fall of their champion broke and fled. All day the pursuit continued, till they reached the banks of the Sarda, opposite the fort of Khairigarh. the ferry boats were usekss, and the flying rebels turned desperately at bay; they were driven into the river, and the heads of the chiefs of Laharpur and Mitauli cut off as they struggled in the water. The whole of Dhaurahra and Bhur were never again re-united