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/74

50 old dargah, which may safely be taken as a sign that some Hindu or Buddhist structure existed here ready made to allow of being converted into a dargah. Of the other two places I have no account.

It thus appears that, given a series of important points, we can with tolerable accuracy fix upon the sites of other secondary points, provided we take into consideration the physical features of the intervening country.

This process is applicable, I believe, on a very extended scale. So far I have taken only a part of Magadha as an illustration; let the process now be extended, and let us take Tamluk, the ancient Tamralipti, into consideration.

Roads would naturally lead up front Tamluk to Patna, to Mongir, and elsewhere.

There would be a choice of several routes to Patna; the most direct route would be through Bishânpur, Bahulâra, Sonatapan, Ekteswar (where the Darikeswar river would be crossed), Chatna, Raghunâthpur, Telkuppi, Jhâria, Rajauli, mid Râjgir. It would cross the Salay river near or at Ghátál, the Darikeswar between Bahulâra and Ekteswar, the Damuda at Telkuppi, the Barâkar close to Palgunjo, the range of hills near Rajauli, and pass into Râjgir by the great south gate and out by the north on to Patna. This road would be a great thoroughfare, and we see that, at every great obstacle, large cities sprang up, as attested by the remains about Ghatal, about Bishanpur, at Telkuppi, about Pâlganj, and near Rajauli. There are, besides these, ruins at Chatna and at Jhâria. Of these, Chatná is the point whence a road, yet in existence and use, branched off, going close past Pachaet through Pándrá, Kharakdihá, between the rivers Sakri and Khuri (where there are ancient remains still on the Sakri near Maháwar hill), through Nowádá to Râjgir. Jhâria appears to have been the capital of the country which anciently was called Jhârkhand.

After crossing the Darikeswar, a branch probably started from near Ekteswar to Mongir, passing close to Râniganj, crossing the Ajay at or near Bhimgarh, where remains yet exist on both banks of the river, then through or close past Nagore, where exists a place of pilgrimage known as Bakeswar, close past Bhaskinath, Mandar hill, Kherhi, to Mongir.

Of the places mentioned, all except Râniganj contain ancient remains.

Another great road would go to Benares; this road would