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 138 PAR CHAPTER V. HISTORY. History-Antiquities. History. It has not been thought necessary to give any account of Partabgarh in the past under the district heading. There are three great cians in the district--the Sombansi of pargana Partabgarh, the Bachgoti of Patti Dalíppur, and the Bisen of Bihár, Mánikpur. The annals of each clan are identical with those of its own peculiar parganas; they did not interfere with each other; their interests did not clash, nor did they conquer or expel each other. The history of each can be given consecu- tively without diverging into the annals of others, and without digressions whiclı weaken the narrative and weary the reader; it has not been thought desirable therefore to mix them up in a forced and unnatural connexion, and to give a retrospective unity to the district of Partabgarh, which in fact did not exist till after the reconquest of Oudh in 1858. The history of the people of Partabgarh will be found under the par- gana beadings Patti, Partabgarh, and Mánikpur. The more remarkable ancient sites and forts will be also there mentioned. As to antiquities there are none which can properly lay claim to the title "Kukar Deora." Here and there in the Kunda tahsil are to be seen strange looking brick- built erections called Kikar Deora, resembling cupolas and pyramids. The former are pine feet in diameter at the base, and the latter seven and A half and eight feet; while the average height of both descriptions is about twelve feet. These curious buildings are by some ascribed to the Bhars, by others to the aboriginal Banjáras, others again afirm that they were built by bankers of old as treasure vaults. As a fact it is well kaowp that from some of these treasure has been abstracted both before and since the rebellion, Whatever be their origin, their antiquity is undoubted. They go by the name of " Kúkar Deora," which means in Hindi “ dog's dwelling.' This has reference to a curious superstition in connection with these buildings to the effect that a walk seven times round any one of them, and a peep in at the door, is a certain cure for the bite of a mad dog. I have been unable, in any tangible way to connect these quaint relics of the past with the Bhars. Th are all situated at some distance from the existing and known sites of old Bhar towns and villages. Near Bilkhar there is a mound which is believed to be an ancient Buddbist tope. PARTABGARH Pargana-Tahsil PARTABGARH-District PARTABGARH, ---This large pargana lies to the south-east of the district, extending for many miles on both sides of the river Sai. Its area is 355 square miles, of which 192 are cultivated. The population is 219,777 or 619 to the square mile: of this number 31,230 are Brahmans, 20,595 are Chhattris, 32,787, are Kurmis, 20,875 are Musalmans. Of the Chhattris above mentioned 13,000 are Sombansis, and the pargana presents an instance of a large area of country being owned by a numerous and powerful clan with its various chiefs, rájas, bábus, and thákurs.