Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/464

 456 MAN at the full moon of Pús. This is the only fair iu the pargana, and is not very largely attended. In Dholi Askaran there are interesting ruins of an enormous fort. Bastions of commanding height, crowned by banyan trees of great size and age, overlook a deep moat. The people point out the old parade-ground and the stables, aud the women's apartments, but further than that it was built 200 years ago by a Káyath Chakladar, Máta Gur Bakhsh, they cannot tell. How long the fort was held, what became of his family, whether his successors lived there, no one seems to know. In Bháwannagar, too, there is said to have been a fort. The line of the ditch is shown, and the people say that there were a dih and a well there within the memory of man, but not a brick remains, This fort belonged to a family of Pathans, who appear to have acquired a small estate of five villages* from the Bisens in the last century. Allahpur is the only village still in their hands. They have papers showing they held these lands in fief a hundred years ago. Mustafabad is a thriving town with a large population of weavers. On the south, separated from the town by a marsh, and standing in lonely bleakness, is an ancient mosque said to have been built by a Sayyad Bári, the founder of the town. (The town is sometimes called Barágáon.) Twice a year, on the two Ids, the Sayyads go to their ancient mosque to pray; but their customary resort is a mosque of new fashion, which, with an imám- bára and handsome house, Sayyad Dídár Jahán built here towards the close of native rule. Another mosque of a century's standing is being put in repair by the weavers. The most noted native of the place was Baqar Ali, who was Darogha of the Princes' palace in Lucknow in 1830-40. He retired with a fortune, and became the head of the Muhammadans of the pargana. He obtained the engagement of several of their villages, and was revenue surety for others in the Huzur Tahsil, The weavers of Mustafabad are almost the only manufacturers in the pargana. They find a sale for their cloth at Rudauli and in this pargana, in the bazar of Muhammadpur, in which there is a muhalla of dyers. The markets are numerous but chiefly of agricultural produce; they are- Ronahi Saturday and Tuesday. Begamganj in Mawayya Saturday and Wednesday. Suchaitganj in Khirauni Monday and Thursday. Deora in Kundarka Tuesday and Friday. Bilkháwán (built this year) Sunday and Wednesday. Deorz Kot (recent) Saturday and Tuesday, Mubammadpur in Dhanrahra Sunday And Wednesday. MANIKAPUR Pargana--Tahsil UTRAULA- District GONDA. This para gana is bounded on the north by parganas Gonda and Sadullahnagar, on the south by parganas Nawabganj and Mahadewa, on the west by Gonda, and on the east by Parganas Babhnipáir and Sadullahnagar, Formerly the pargana contained 195 villages, with an area of 80,006 acres, but one more village having been lately added, it now covers an area of 80,038 acres, or 125 square miles. The unculturable land amounts to 2,994 acres, • Allabpar, Bháyyappagar, Birábempar, Umsa'pur, Mau. Dee 14 po