Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/490

 482 MAN few houses were built and the place was named Gutni, which, it is alleged, is a combination of the Sanskrit words " gau" (cow) and "tarn" (grass), However this may have been, and there seems no reason why we should reject the story, it was not until some two centuries ago that Gutni rose to be a place of any importance. At that time one Shahab Khan Pathán, a Cabul merchant and horse-dealer, came to Hindustan. He settled first at Jahanabad in the district of Rae Bareli. He subsequently came to Mánikpur, and shortly after purchased Gutni from the Gardenis. He took up his residence in the place, and his descendants are the present proprietors of the village. One of his successors, Muhammad Hayat Khan, attained to great celebrity, and obtained the lofty title of Haft- Hazári. Gutoi was a prosperous place under the Pathán; about 25 years ago it, too, declined with the falling fortunes of Asad. Khan, an officer formerly high in the service of the Oudh Government. MANIKPUR Town-Pargana MÁNIKPUR--Tahsil KUNDA--District PAR- TABGARH.-This town lies in latitude 25°46' north and lougitude 81°26' east, at a distance of 36 miles from Partabgarh, 16 miles from Salon, 36 from Rae Bareli, and 36 from Allahabad. The inhabited portion is chiefly on the bank of the Ganges. The population is divided as follows :- Hindus Females 841 10 . Males 805 811 Musalmans 835 IPO ... Total 1,646 ... Total 1,646 > There are 180 masonry houses, twenty-two mosques, six temples to Mahádeo, one to Jwála Mukhi, and a private religious institution bearing the name of Kallu, a Dámghini, tombs of Ráje Sayyad Nur'and Shah Hisám-ud-din, one vernacular school called " Kála Madarsa" from the mildewed tower, and a police station. There are two fairs in honour of Jwala Mukhi-one in Chait, the second in Asádh, on the 8th of the dark halves of the months; they are attended by 30,000 people. The gathering does not last long. The commodities have no peculiarity worthy of mention. A third fair called "Bataunka or "Nataunka" is held in Aghan every Thursday, and has a concourse of 5,000 souls; a large portion being females. The roads that pass through the town are the following:- 1. From Bibár to Rae Bareli 2. To Gutoi. 3. To Sarátbúr bridge. 4. To Partabgarh via Dhárápur. 5. To Salon. It is a picturesque ruin of an ancient city where palm trees cluster round numerous mosques and minar in all stages of decay. The history of the place is given under that of the pargana. The derivation of the name and the history of the foundation are variously described :- 1. That Rája Mán Deo, son of Rája Bál Deo, of Kanauj, founded this town and named it after him, and his descendant, Mánik Chand, when he got the throne as his inheritance, changed the name to Mánikpur,