Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/275

 RAM 267 SC and the Kaithaula estate. In the time of Mansur Ali Khan (Safdar Jang) they lost this after a siege of their fort of Rámpur. There is an old feud between them and the Kaithaula estate, which lies in the Rám- pur pargana, and has been at various times the object of their cupidity. Several fights occurred, and the Kanhpurias of Kaithaula have had hard work to maintain themselves in the vicinity of their powerful and not over-scrupulous neighbours. Rája Hanwant Singh.—The present Raja Hanwant Singh has fought both with and against the názims at various times. His estate was held "khám' in 1242, 1243-4, and again in 1248 fasli, owing to his unruly opposition to the authorities. In 1260 fashi, the Nazim, Khan Ali Khán, beat him out of his two forts of Kálákánkar and Dhárúpur, and his estate was not only khám' but laid waste. From his fort of Kálákánkar, which is on the banks of the Ganges, a British steamer proceeding to Cawnpore during the mutiny was fired on. His son, Partáb Singh, took an active part in opposing the re-occupation of Oudh, and was killed at Chanda in Sultanpur in an action with Colonel Wroughton's force. An account of this taluqdar and his tactics may be found in the book called Dacoitee in Excelsis,' pages 124-5-6. He is a very good specimen of the Nawabi taluqdar, and perhaps too good a one to be taken as an average, or as a representative of his order, being a most courteous and kind hearted man, intelligent, frank, and honest. The old Adam of the taluqdar pur et simple is however distinguishable in the manner in which he likes to have his own way in his estate and resents opposition. We cannot expect it to be otherwise, and may be well content if we get many taluqdars like him. He has had the chronicles of his family done into Urdu verse by a domestic poet, Muhammad Asghar, familiarly known as Ustádjí.' This work called 'Bisen Sabha,' or the Court of the Bisens' has been printed, and a copy may be got by the curious in such matters." Further account of the Bisens.—In his chronicles of Unao, Mr. C. A. Elliott mentions the Bisen as having, with the Gabrwár and Bhandel, settled in that district in the pre-historic period. In another place he records that “the Bisens came from Salempur Majhauli in the Gorakhpur district, and pushed westward to Mánikpur, and that the Unao branch is an offshoot from Mánikpur.” Mr. P. Carnegy places this clan amongst those of the Rajputs," who are avowedly descended from deified Brabmans, who are styled Rikhs, and their offspring as Rikhbans, literally the children of the saint." Mr. Carnegy's further remarks regarding this Bisen clan may with advantage be here introduced.* "These people have already been mentioned as descended from a devotee Mewar Bhát. What their claim may be to being placed under the Sombans line is not quite clear. Their avowed chief is the Rája of Majhauli in Gorakhpur. In Oudh we have no less than thirteen chiefs of this clan, and their colonies are principally to be found in the Partabgarh district, but also in Bahraich, Gonda, Dariabad, and Sultanpur. The local heads of the family are Rája Hanwant Singh of Kálákánkar, as fine a
 * Notes on the Races, Tribes, and Caetes of Ondh, by Mr. P. Carnegy, page 49.