Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/513

 MOH 505 Kbánde Ráe was succeeded on the throne of Tiloi by Údebhán, who verified the statements of the Tiloi Kanhpurias, that every other of their rajas was a fainéant. Under his weal Government the Kurmis, who occu- pied forty-two villages in Jagdíspur,* rose in arms. Their leader was a Dási Rám who embraced the Musalman faith, and procured assistance from his co-religionists on the banks of the Ganges. With a body of seven hundred Mughal cavalry he plundered and burnt the villages of the Chhattri zamindars whose rája could do nothing to pro- tect them. Fraud was successful where force failed, and a Gautam in the Kanb- puria's pay gained Dási Rám's confidence, and treacherously assassinated him out hunting. For this service he was granted the Kurmi's villages, some of which are still held by his descendant Mahipal Singh, taluqdar of Bára." The suppression of this Kurmi insurrection is with probability referred to the commencement of the vigorous reign of Surat Singh, who succeeded to the throne between 1670 and 1680 A.D. This prince though blind was distinguished for his ability and enter- prise, and uniting the scattered branches of his clan under one banner was the first of the powerful chiefs of Tiloi, who ruled with semi-regal autho- rity over a district which at one time comprised fourtcen entire parganas. A prince of Súrat Singh's energy was not likely to remain long at peace with his neighbours, and a friendly interview afforded him the desired pretext for invading the contiguous domains of the Sombansis.t Partáb Singh was lame, and, on asking after Súrat Singh's bealth, received the ordinary polite reply "dpke qadam dekhne se," to which angrily retorted with reference to Súrat Singh's blindness, I too am well " dpke chashm delchne se." The personal insult was eagerly welcomed, and Súrat Singh marched at the head of his clansmen against Partabgarh. He was met at Hindaur and an obstinate battle resulted in the defeat of the Kanhpurias. As their chieftain was being carried from the field he felt the wind strike on his sightless eyes and asked from which quara ter it came, and the answer, from the west, conveyed the first informa- tion of his defeat. His retreating forces were covered by a zamindar of Náin, who commanded the then unusual arm of a hundred matchlockmen, and who for this received the grant of thirteen villages in the Salon par- gana, which formed the root of the present large Náin taluqas. • Bealisas are perhaps exceptionally common in this neighbourhood; the tahsil of Faidargarh in Bars Banki alone has the three Amethis bealisas of Rámosgar, Sonakpur and Båre, the Pandes Bealial of Shindaur, tbe Kurmfe of Sehgaon, the Som banaia of Bainti, the Shekhs of Bhilwal, and the Dubés ot Kialiha, The torm seems to denote any small collection of villages held by one coparcenary body. † The present territories of the Kanhpurigs and Sombacsie are separated by the wide estates, of the Biseng, but it does not appear that at the time of Sarat Singh the leaders of that tribe had attained the dignity of independent sovereigns. A very large part of their present proporty was under the rule of the Musalmade of Mapikpur, and of their three principal hou1809 we find Raapur ranged with the Kanpuria and vera and Dhingwaa with the Sombansi. It is probable that thoy rcspectively owned the nominal supremacy of the chieftain in whose army they fought.