Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/41

 NIRVOEL 33 Here commences the pilgrimage or paikarma described in the notice of Misrikh, where it is brought to a conclusion. The climate of Nimkhár is peculiarly salubrious. Cholera has never been known to appear in it. The camping ground is good, and water is abundant. There are several masonry and 610 mud built houses. The following is from Colonel Sleeman :- “ This place is held sacred from a tradition that Ram after his expodition against Ceylon came here to bathe in a small tank near our present camp, in order to wash away the sin of having killed a Brahmin in the person of Rawun, the monster king of that island, who had taken away his wife (Seeta) Till he had done so, he could not venture to rovisit his capital (Ajoodheea). the many other places around, which pilgrims must visit to complete the pykurma or holy circuit. The most popular seems to be this. Twenty- eight thousand sages were deputed, with the god Indur at their head, on a mission to present an address to Brimha, as he reposed upon the noun- tain Kylas, praying that he would vouchsafe to point out to thom the place in Hindoostan most worthy to be consecrated to religious worship. He took a discus from the top-knot on his head, and whiling it in the air directed it to proceed in search. After much search it rested at a place near the river Gomtee, which it deemed to be most fitted for the purification of one's faith, and which thonceforth took the name of Neem Sarung--a place of devotion. The twenty-eight thousand sages followed, and were accompanied by Brimba himself, attended by the deotas or subordinate gods. “ He then summoned to the place no less than three crores and a half or thirty millions and a half of teeruts or angels, who preside each over his special place of religious worship. All settled down at places within ten miles of the central point (Neem Sarung); but their departure does not seem to have impaired the sanctity of the places whence they came. The angels or spirits, who presided over them sent out these offshoots to preside at Neemsar and the consecrated places around it, as trees send off their grafts without impairing their own powers and virtues."* NIR*—Pargana GOPAMAU--Tahsil HARDOI— District HARDOI.—(Popu- lation 2,481, chiefly Chamárs.) A rich agricultural village, six miles south-east from Hardoi. It was founded by Nír Singh, a Chamar-Gaur in the service of the Hindu kings of Kanauj, who drove the Thatheras out of their stronghold at Besohra, and utterly destroyed it. A ruined mound of brick remains still marks its site. OEL--Pargana KHERI—Tahsil LAKUIMPUR-District KHERI. - This large village is situated on the road from Lakhimpur to Sitapur, eight miles west of the former. It lies on a plain of fine clay soil, boautifully cultivated and studded with trees, intermixed with numerous clusters of graceful bamboos. The two villages, Oel and Dhakua, adjoin each other and form a large town, but the dwelling-houses have a wretched appearance, con- sisting of ruinous mud walls and thatched roofs. There is a handsome +By Mr. A. H. Haringtoo, C.S., Assistant Commissioner, 5
 * There are many legends regarding the origin of the sanctity of this and
 * "Sleeman's Tour through Oudh," Vol. II, pages 4-5,