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 PAR 141 wind strike on his sightless eyes, and asked from which quarter it came, and the answer, from the west, conveyed the first information of his defeat. His retreating forces were covered by a zamindar of Náin, who commanded the then unusual arm of a bundred matchlock men, and who for this received the grant of thirteen villages in the Salon pargana, which formed the root of the present large Náin taluqas." We may now pass on to the more detailed history of the pargana as given by Mr. King," In this pargana the Bhars are said to have been the first inhabitants of whoin there is no knowledge. The Raikwár Rajputs are said to have effected a footing in about one-third of the pargana as early as 554 fasli (A.D. 1147), and they were thus prior to the Sombansis, who hold now undisputed sway in the pargana. These are a very high caste of Chhattris, and give the following account of themselves. It may be known to the curious in such matters that Chhattris are said to have two primary classes, Bánsik and Jaggik. The latter are those whose original stock can be traced to the creative power of some saint, as in the case of the Bachgotis of Patti. The Bánsiks are those, whose origin defies research. They are in fact a kind of Melchisidees, without father without mother, &c., &c. To this highly ancient race the Somhansi clan belongs. In the eighth generation from Brahma was the Rája Juját who had one son called Púr and one called Jad, by different wives, Púr is the ancestor of the Sombansis and Jad of the Jadubansis. Ninety generations from Púr came Rámdeo, father of Bai Sen, and here we come to what may be history. Bai Sen bad bis castle at Jhúsi * near Allahabad on the north bank of the Ganges. This castle can be still pointed out I am told. “Birth place of Lakhan Sen.- To relapse into fable, Rája Bai Sen one day was visited by a Musalman saint, Shekh Naqi, who very unreasonably requested him to clear out of the castle and leave it to the saint. The rája naturally refused, and was not prevailed on by the entrcaties of his ráni, who took part with the Shekh. The saint of course killed the rája, and consoled the ráni (who was pregnant), with the assurance that she should have a son of great renown. She went off north-ward as directed by the saint, and arriving at the ancient shrine Pánchosiddh near the town of Partabgarh, gave birth to a son, Lakhan Sen. "The pargana of Aror. The pargana now called Partabgarh was then known as Aror, and was held by Bhars and Raikwár Chhattris. Lakhan Sen, grown up, got from the king the ráj of the Aror pargana in lieu of Jhúsí, and subdued or expelled the proprietors. This was about 666 fasli (1258 A.D.). The village of Hindaur, some twelve miles from Bela, and lying on the main road to Rae Bareli, was the residence of Lakhan Sen. A high commanding mound is now clearly visible from a grcat distance, and is pointed out as the site of his castle. “ Malúk Singh. He had three sons, Gohanwar Deo, Malúk Singh, and Jait Singh. Gohanwár begot Udhran Deo, and wished to transfer his • For an account of Jhúsi and the Bája Harbong wlio dwelt there, see Elliott's Glog- sary under " Harbong-ka-ráj."