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 BILASPUR.

447

Korba from Sarguja from tire Gond dynasty of Mandia 1520; and the snrall chiefship of Bilaigarh, south of the Mahdnadi, with the khdlsd tract of Kikarda, on the east, from Sambalpur about 1580. Surdeva was succeeded by his son Prithwi'devd, of whose deeds local tradition is full ; and the sculptured tablets of Malhar and Amarkantak still record, in Sanskrit verse, how he was a terror to his enemies, a friend to his people, generous to the learned, and After Prithwideva followed a long line of himself fond of learning. Rajas, whose names are commemorated on temple slabs, associated wrested



about

now

with the building of a shrine,

now

with the construction of a tank



the reign of Kalyan Sahi, between 1536 and 1573, that this landlocked region came into contact with the outer world.

but

was not

it

That

till

prince, leaving the

government

in his son’s

hands, proceeded to

Delhi to have audience of the great Akbar, and, after eight years’ absence, returned to Ratanpur invested with the

The prudent submission

a high-sounding

title.

to prolong the

independence of

his

child.

of Rdja and

dynasty, and, after nine further

his

successions, a Raja of the Haihai Bans! line

But Raj Singh had no

full rights

of Kalydn Sahi helped

still

ruled in Bilaspur.

At the same time he had no wish

nearest heir, his great-uncle Sardar Singh,

Accordingly the Raja took counsel of

much

his

that

should succeed him.

Brahman

d'lwdn, a hereditary

and an appeal to the sacred books, it was resolved that a Brahman selected by the diwdn In due time she gave birth to a son, should visit the favourite Ram'. who received the name of Bisnath Singh ; and the popular rejoicings knew no bounds. When Bisndth Singh reached a proper age, he was married to a Soon after the wedding the young daughter of the Raja of Rewa. servant of the family.

After

discussion,

game of chance, when Bisnath Singh tried his temper by defeating her game after game. At length she discovered that he was playing unfairly, and rising from the table she said, half in jest and half in scorn, Of course I should expect Stung to be overreached, for are you not a Brahman, and no Rajput !’ to the soul with the taunt, confirming as it did whispers which had already reached him, the young prince went hurriedly out and stabbed When Raj Singh heard what had happened, he himself to the heart. resolved to revenge himself on his dtwdn, through whose imprudence or treachery the shame of the royal house had been revealed. The Di'wan Pira, or Minister’s Square,’ of Ratanpur at that time formed an imposing part of the town. There lived the dm<dn, and round him a crowd of relations who, however distantly connected, had congregated near the fortunate representative of the family. The Raja blew down with cannon the whole of this quarter, involving in one common ruin couple were playing a

bride’s

‘

‘