Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/24

 16 NEO-NEW by Naubat Ráe, treasurer. Though the removal of the tahsil from it, and the introduction of the railway to Cawn pore, caused material damage to the local trade, as it was a dâk station, and most traffic since then passes by railway, the annual sales still amount to Rs. 18,000; a great part of course being made up by the bargains made in the fair. The population is 3,128, of which 547 are Musalman. NEOTINI-Pargana MOHÁN AURÁS—Tahsil MOHÁN--District UNAO.- Ncotini is a Muhammadan town, situated south-west of Mohán about two miles off on the right bank of the river Sai. It is the seat of the only Muhammadan colony that seems to have come into the pargana. But: the arrival of the Musalmans was early, and they took possession of nine villages, which they hold to the present day. The town is said to have been founded by a Dikhit, Rája Rám, a descendant of Rája Balbhadr of Jhalotar, who on a hunting expedition saw the spot, and attracted by its beauty cut away some of the thin grass that grew there, and founded a town which he called Neotini. There is an old dh in the place still as-. signed as the site of his fort It remained with the Dikhits till the time of Rája A pre, who having, it is said, ill-treated and plundered a great mer- chant, whose complaints reached the ears of Mahmúd of Ghazni, was driven out by an invasion headed by Míran Muhammad and Zahír-ud-dín “ Aftab.” They and their descendants have occupied the place ever since. They said it was Khuda Dád which gives the date 614 A. H. (1197A.D.), so it must have been occupied in the reign of Shams-ud-dín. The place bears an air of prosperity. There are several old mosques and shrines and some good houses belonging to members of the family, who hold appoint- ments under the British Government, and are pleaders in the courts. The land round the town is extraordinarily rich and well cultivated; being poppy, vegetables, spices, and medical herbs. The pan gardens are very numerous, the families of tamolis number no less than 37. The whole population is 3,809, and the number of houses 718. There is a Government school in this place. There is only a small bazar. NEWALGANJ-cum-MAHRAJGANJ-Pargana MORAN AURÍs—Tah- sil MOHÁN—District UNAO–(Latitude 26°48' north, longitude 80° 43' east.) This is a junction of two market towns situated on the road. to Mohán from Lucknow, about 13 miles from the city. It is two miles east of the tahs station Mohán, and 26 south-east of the sadr (Unao.) The former was built by Mahárája Newal Ráe, the Náib of Nawab Safdarjang, and the same who built the bridge over the Sai at Mohán; the latter is a continuation of it built by Mahárája Balkrishn, the late finance minister of the ex-king. It is approached by a long and handsome bridge which terminates in an archway, the entrance into the bazar. The ganj is about one-fourth of a mile long, and ends in another archway, passing under which, a sharp turn to the right brings the traveller opposite a third arch, which is the entrance into Newalganj. The bi-weekly bazar is held in Mahrajganj, and is one of the largest in the neighbourhood. The total annual sales amount to Rs. 25,000, and consist of all the usual conntry produce of grain, tobacco, spices, and vegetables, with country cloth and European piece-goods. There is also a separate trade in brass vessels, the crops