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196 necessary to send back Diwán Moti Rám, who remained in charge till 1826, when the family fell into disgrace owing to the sinister influence of Rájá Dhyán Singh, and Diwán Chúni Lál, a man of no account, took his place for a year and a half. Then Diwán Kirpa Rám became governor. He was intelligent, with unusual ideas of magnificence for a man of the trader class, and beautified the capital with many fine buildings and pleasure grounds. The Rámbágh garden at Srínagar, where stands Mahárájá Ghuláb Singh's monument, was laid out by him.

In 1828 Kashmír suffered much from earthquakes; many public and private buildings were destroyed, with great loss of life. After the earthquake came the cholera, a worse epidemic than that which had ravaged the province in the time of Moti Rám. In 1831, Kirpa Rám again incurred the enmity of Rájá Dhyán Singh. He had given protection to Rájá Faiz Talab Khán of Bhimbar, whom both the Dogra Rájás hated and wished to capture; while Kirpa Rám resolutely refused to give him up. He was recalled from Kashmír, and soon afterwards left the Punjab for Benares, to join his father. His family for three generations had done good and brilliant service for the Mahárájá, but this did not save them from the ingratitude of their master, who cared nothing for men whose work was done, or who had become obnoxious to a new favourite. This absolute selfishness of Ranjít Singh, and the shameful manner in which he ignored faithful service were the most