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/137

Rh sorrowful to her apartments, and prayed for her husband's success against her father. Kunwar Bijaya Mall on the other hand went to the prison where his father and brothers were confined; but finding the walls and gate of adamant (Bajr) he despaired; here his horse seeing his grief came forward and smashed in the gates, so that he got in and released the prisoners; he then went and pillaged the favorite bazar of Báwan Subáh. News of these events having now reached Báwan Subáh, he sent the chief of his forces to fight Kunwar Bijaya Mall, and on his defeat, he sent his son with fresh troops; these shared the same fate. Báwan Subáh then went out himself. Long the battle raged, Kunwar Bijaya Mall not wishing to kill but to capture his enemy; in this he at last succeeded, and he cut off one of Baiwan Suhdh's hands, and put out one eye of his son; he then set them free, and demanded that his wife, Báwan Subáh's daughter, should be sent to his house with due pomp and ceremony as she was now of age. There was no alternative for Báwan Subáh, so he sent his daughter to her husband's house with due ceremony and pomp, and Kunwar Bijaya Mall returned to his own house accompanied by his brother, Sonmat Râni's husband, his father and his own wife.

This legend serves the Important purpose of showing that the ancient name of the hill was Garh Parávat, or rather this was the name of the fort on the hill. The origin of the name is not difficult to ascertain. The hill has an almost perpendicular face to the west and portions of the south, and in the vertical cliffs, wild pigeons in great numbers habitually build their nests, as they are safe from man or beast. Three years ago, when employed as an Engineer in this district, I had often occasion to travel past this hill, and could count with certainty on finding wild pigeons here; this year, consequent, I am told, on the famine which visited the district, all the pigeons were caught and eaten up by the people; there are now, therefore, very few left, but the convenience for nest-building and security are so great, that it must always have been a favorite resort of pigeons. The name Parávata is thus accounted for.

But whether this be or be not the true origin of the name, there can be no doubt that it was named Parávata in ancient times, and as, besides the identity of names, it contained numerous and important Buddhist structures, I think we may safely regard it as the site of Hwen Thsang's pigeon monastery, although Its bearing and distance from Giriyak do not agree with his account. Rh