Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/100

76 General Cunningham also suggests that the ancient name of Bihár may have been Yasovarmmapura. The following legend may help to throw some light on this question.

The Kahâr caste is divided into various clans, of which the Ramáni is the acknowledged head. The name Ramáni is said to have been derived from Ramanpura, a place near Râjgir, where the chief of the Kahàrs used to reside before the caste became split up into clans. It happened that at a certain time very long ago the then chief of the Kahârs married two wives, but the two women were constantly quarrelling and gave their husband no peace, so the man removed one of them to Jaspur, and her descendants are known to this day as Jaswâr Kahârs.

What connects Jaspur with Bihár is the circumstance that the Kahârs about Bihár are mostly Jaswâr Kahârs, while those about Giriyak are Ramánis.

So that it is not improbable that Bihár, or some place not far from it, was named Jaspur, which is only the spoken form of Yasovarmmapura.

I conclude my notice of Bihár with a legend which accounts for the toleration which Hindus are said to have enjoyed in Bihár after the Muhammadan conquest.

When the Muhammadans took Bihár they destroyed all Hindu shrines, and for a long time Hindus were not allowed to go into the city (fort?). At last, after many years, a jogi named Mani Râm contrived to get in and establish himself, and when the Muhammadans heard of it, they at once proceeded to turn him out; but he was a great magican, and they could not prevail against him, and allowed him to remain. This man naturally used to blow the sankh, as is customary with Hindus in performing their religious ceremonies. One day the sound happened to reach the ears of Aulia Makhdum Sah, who lived on the hill, and he having ascertained the particulars regarding the jogi and the vain attempt to turn him out, determined to destroy his caste by artifice. He accordingly prepared tasty dishes of cooked beef and sent them with a polite message to the jogi. On the arrival of the presents and the polite message, the jogi desired the dishes to be at once carried back, saying, "In intention I thankfully accept the pir's present, and send these back now in return." These dishes on being brought back unopened to the pir were found to contain, not beef, but sweet-meats. The pir now felt much respect for the jogi, and proceeded to visit him in person, seated on a tiger. When