DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49384#0141
100
CHAPTER VIII.
the districts of Gonda, Bahraich, and Lucknow, and cover an area of
1,800 square miles (equal to that of Cooch Behar State). It owns
about 100 elephants and is noted for its Khedda operations for
catching wild ones by means of the noose. Its annual income is over
30 lakhs of rupees and the population is more than 500,000.
The Chiefs of Balrampur are sprung from the noble Janwar
Rajput family, who claim descent from the celebrated Pandava hero,
Arjun, celebrated in the Mahabharata. Bariar Shah, the founder of
the Oudh family, was the youngest son of a Sombansi Chief, Raja
Mansukh Deo of Pawagarh, in Gujerat, and the forty-first descendant
in a direct line from Arjun. When Sultan Feroz Shah in 1374 made
a pilgrimage to Bahraich, Bariar Shah cleared that district of the
numerous gangs of marauders, who then infested it , and was rewarded
by a grant of the whole tract of land. In 1414, he took up his
residence at Ekauna, Bahraich, and thus became the founder of the
famous house which has given lords to so many estates in Bahraich
and Gonda.
About 1566 Madho Singh, brother of Ganesh Singh, and the
seventh in descent from Bariar Shah, separated from his brother and
reduced a refractory tribe of Barbis living between the Tapti and
Kauna rivers, Gonda district, and founded a separate Raj and family.
His son, Balram Shah, laid the foundation of the present town of
Balrampur. When Newal Singh, one of the Janwar warriors, became
Raja, he was constantly engaged in hostilities with the Nawab of
Oudh and repeatedly defeated his troops. In 1836, Raja Jai
Narain Singh, grandson of Raja Newal Singh, died without issue
and was succeeded by his younger brother, Digbejai Singh, then a boy
of 18, who rendered conspicuous service to Government during the
Mutiny. Not only did he remain unswervingly loyal when the whole
district of Gonda was ablaze with rebellion, but he rescued and gave
shelter to 30 Europeans, including the Commissioner of Bahraich.
Mr. Wingfield. At the close of the Mutiny he joined the British
force in person in the Trans-Ghagra campaign, rendering most valuable
assistance in procuring supplies and accurate information. For these
CHAPTER VIII.
the districts of Gonda, Bahraich, and Lucknow, and cover an area of
1,800 square miles (equal to that of Cooch Behar State). It owns
about 100 elephants and is noted for its Khedda operations for
catching wild ones by means of the noose. Its annual income is over
30 lakhs of rupees and the population is more than 500,000.
The Chiefs of Balrampur are sprung from the noble Janwar
Rajput family, who claim descent from the celebrated Pandava hero,
Arjun, celebrated in the Mahabharata. Bariar Shah, the founder of
the Oudh family, was the youngest son of a Sombansi Chief, Raja
Mansukh Deo of Pawagarh, in Gujerat, and the forty-first descendant
in a direct line from Arjun. When Sultan Feroz Shah in 1374 made
a pilgrimage to Bahraich, Bariar Shah cleared that district of the
numerous gangs of marauders, who then infested it , and was rewarded
by a grant of the whole tract of land. In 1414, he took up his
residence at Ekauna, Bahraich, and thus became the founder of the
famous house which has given lords to so many estates in Bahraich
and Gonda.
About 1566 Madho Singh, brother of Ganesh Singh, and the
seventh in descent from Bariar Shah, separated from his brother and
reduced a refractory tribe of Barbis living between the Tapti and
Kauna rivers, Gonda district, and founded a separate Raj and family.
His son, Balram Shah, laid the foundation of the present town of
Balrampur. When Newal Singh, one of the Janwar warriors, became
Raja, he was constantly engaged in hostilities with the Nawab of
Oudh and repeatedly defeated his troops. In 1836, Raja Jai
Narain Singh, grandson of Raja Newal Singh, died without issue
and was succeeded by his younger brother, Digbejai Singh, then a boy
of 18, who rendered conspicuous service to Government during the
Mutiny. Not only did he remain unswervingly loyal when the whole
district of Gonda was ablaze with rebellion, but he rescued and gave
shelter to 30 Europeans, including the Commissioner of Bahraich.
Mr. Wingfield. At the close of the Mutiny he joined the British
force in person in the Trans-Ghagra campaign, rendering most valuable
assistance in procuring supplies and accurate information. For these