Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/45

 PAC 37 The Bachgotis of Khajuráhat.—Bábu Abhai Datt Singh, the present owner of this taluqa, is the younger brother of Bábu Jai Datt Singh of Bhíti; both being offshoots of the Kurwár ráj. An account of the elder of these brothers is given in the Majhaura history, bat sorue further parti- culars of the family have since been obtained, and these may as well be given here. After the overthrow of Shujá-ud-daula at the battle of Buxar, more than 80 years ago, he is known for a time to have abandoned the neighbour- hood of Fyzabad, and to have spent some months in the direction of Rohilkhand. Advantage was taken of his absence by, ażnongst others, Duniápat, the then taluqdar of Kurwár, to increase his possessions by annexing thereto Khajuráhat and numerous other estates of parganas Pachhimráth and Haweli Oudh, but, on the return of the Nawab, the Bábu was again deprived of all these new acquisitions. After the death of Shujá-ud-daula, and in the days when his widow, the Bahu Began, held this part of the country as jágír, Bábu Bariár Singh, a younger brother of Duniápat, again succeeded in acquiring a property in these parganas, which paid an annual demand of Rs. 80,000 to the State, and of this estate be retained possession till 1232 fasli. In the following year, owing to the Babu's default, the then Nazim Valáyat Ali deprived liim of his entire property. In 1234 fasli, the názim returned to the Babu tlie Khaju- ráhat portion of the property, consisting of 26 villages, held on an annual rent of Rs. 6,000, but of which aim Rs. 4,700 was remitted on account of the taluqdar's nánkár. The rest of the estate was settled village by village with the zamindars, with whom the názim entered into direct engagement. This state of things ran on till 12 13 fasli, when the then Názim, Mirza Abdulla Beg, made the Bhíti and Khajuráhat properties, consisting of the entire estate that Bábu Bariár Singh and his predecessor had accumulated, over to the chief of the rival clan of the neighbourhood, Bábu Harpal Singh Garagbansi, the ancestor of the taluqdar of Khaprá- díh. Bábu Bariár Singh then fled to the British territories where he soon afterwards died. In 1245 fasli, Rája Darshan Singh became názim, and during his rule the sons of Bariár Singh, Bábus Jai Datt Singh and Abhai Datt Singh, were restored to the Bhíti and Khajuráhat estates, which moreover were con- siderably added to. The two brothers divided the family property in 1259 fasli, the elder receiving the Bhíti estate, estimated at one and a half share, and the younger Khajuráhat, of one share. The former of these now consists of 81 villages paying Rs. 37,850-10-0 per annum to the State, the latter of 54} villages paying Rs. 21,472. These brothers are highly respected, and I look upon them as amongst the best of our smaller taluqdars. The Sangaldípi Brahmans of Mehdona.—According to the family records, Sadásukh Páthak was a Sangaldípi Brahman of note in Bhoj- pur, who held the office of chaudhri. In the general confusion that followed the overthrow of Shujá-ud-daula by the English in that quarter, Gopalrám, the son of Sadásukh Páthak, left his home, and finally settled in the village of Nandnagar Chori, pargana Amorha, zillah Basti, about the