Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/420

 412 MAH Chauháns of Bhauli and of Magat, consisting of eight and twelve villages respectively, and the Chauhans of Kathwára of thirty-two villages. These and the Panwar estates made up during the Nawabi the whole pargana which was then exclusively Rajput. The Panwárs held what was popularly called eight tappas, but the formation of these tæppas belongs to their family history. The traditions regarding the early history of the pargana say that the Panwárs and the Chauhans entered the pargana almost simul- taneously at about the end of the 14th century. By their family history it would seem that they came under the cognizance and sanction of the Delhi government. The land was then owned and held by Kurmis, whose chiefs, Rae Dámar, dwelt at Ráeput, a little to the west of Itaunja, and Rae Dhandu at Kathwára. There was a third, Ráe Mohan, a Muráo, who lived at Mahona, and gave his name to the town. All these had strong forts, whose sites are marked by the brick mounds called díhs that still exist. But tradition adds that these forts were originally built by the Bhars whom the Kur- mis succeeded. The Kurmis are said to have shown a mutinous spirit and kept back their revenue, and their chastisement was made over to these Panwars and Chauhán tribes, who attacked and drove them out of the country These Kurmis do not seem to have been a low-caste tribe. They wor- shipped Mabádeo. In the village of Gadia, at the north of the pargana, he is still worshipped under the name of the Kurmiáni Náth, and of late years a small shiwála has been built over his image. And in the village of Tika, to the south of Mabona, is a tank at which it is said the Kurmi widows used to perform their suttees. The memory of these sacrifices does not very easily fade away. The place is hallowed, even though no monument marks the spot. A mound remains, and the native knows what is there. He will take off his shoes reverently, and will scrape away the earth and produce some ashes, which, after showing them to the curious inquirer, he will again carefully replace. The pargana contains traces of mythical history which centre round Rukhára. Rúkha was the daughter of Bánásur, who lived in Mámpur Baná. It was she who fell in love with and abducted Anrudh, grandson of Srikrishn. Kubhán, of Kumhráwán, was one of his ministers, and it was his daughter, Chetori Lekha, who drew the likeness of the hero that Rúkha had seen in her dreams. Kesri Dait was another of his lieute- nants, who founded Kesurmau close to Mahona. Srikrishn, aided by Arjun, one of the Pandu brothers, came with an army to recover his grand- son, and the many-handed Búnásur was vanquished and sent to worship Mahadeo on the lonely banks of the Nerbudda. As for Rukha and Anrudh they married and went to live at Muttra Brindában. In Kumhráwán there is an image of Mahádeo called Kursen, which it is said was the object of Kubhán's worship. Arjun founded the village of Arjunpur. There are in Arjunpur and Rukhára old mounds of considerable extent, with the usual broken bricks