Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/362

354 tribes of Kols, Bhils, Kiráts, Hais, Pardhans, and Thárus, and originally came from the Tarái. Bhar díhs (mounds) cover the face of the country. They seem to have built in brick, which is more than their successors (the Hindus) do. The Kanauj dynasty before its fall made great efforts to wrest the country from them.

Alha and Údal, Banáphar Rajputs, were sent by Raja Jai Chand, and first attacked Nathánwán near Bijnaur, which is said to have been held by a Pási Rája, Bigli; they then advanced to Sarsánwán near Amethi, and afterwards to Dewa, but seem to have got no further. Oudh must have been a hot place for them. North from Bijnaur through Sarsánwán, already mentioned, lies the plain of Ganjaria which was then known as the loh gánjar plain, or plain of iron; so called from the warlike demeanour of the natives, and it seems to have given the name of Ganjaria to the whole of Oudh.

In describing the settlements of the Pásis and Bhars, &c., Pásis and Arakhs seem to have been in strength in Malihabad, and to have stretched south to Kakori and Bijnaur, and along the left bank of the Sai to Sissaindi, All to the east of them were Bhars. Then comes the question as to whether they were themselves low caste, and whether any other low caste tribes belong to them. Mr. Benett says in his history of the tribes of the Rae Bareli district, that the Ahír women mourned for their Bhar kings, and gave up the practice of wearing anklets. It is said that none of the low caste tribes may touch gold, indeed, they cannot worship a god save through the medium of a Brahman.

The Pásis must have been an aboriginal tribe; they are disowned by every one else, and their habits would favour it. Their fondness for drink was notorious. There is not a story told of the conquest of any fort, but that it was effected by plying the occupants with wine. This is told of Bhars and Pásis alike. The natives connect them with Arakhs; they have an account of a Bhar dynasty founded about A.D. 918, by Tilok Chand, the head of the tribe. This chief fixed upon Bahraich as the seat of his empire, and led a powerful army against Rája Bikrampál of Delhi, whom he defeated and dispossessed of his kingdom. It is then said that he held all the country up to Delhi, and all Oudh up to the mountains. His dynasty lasted for nine generations or one hundred and fifteen years up to A.D. 1093. It ended with Ráni Bhem Devi, wife of Gobind Chand, who died without an heir, and bequeathed the kingdom to her priestly confessor (Guru), Har Gobind, whose dynasty lasted for fourteen generations.

Tilok Chand is said to have been a worshipper of the sun. Near Bahraich is a temple in his honour called Balaark—ark is the Sanskrit for sun, and he wished in imitation of the Súrajbans to give a new and better name to his tribe. He accordingly called them the Arkbans, and to his own immediate family he gave the title of Ark-rajbansi. Later on when they lost all power they became known as the Arakhs and Rájbansis, which latter word in the usual process of decay of language, and the loss of its earliest meaning, became changed to Rájpasia—aut ex re nomen, aut ex vocabula fabula. Native tales mostly depend upon the name, and his ingenuity seems here to surpass itself; bans has become