BAG
91
numerous than those of Vaishnavi and Shakti faith of the lower castes, the Kurmis number nearly 6,000 in this pargana, and they are well skilled in the art of agriculture, and rank next to Kachhis and Muraus in this respect. But there is nothing in the caste statement to account for the high jama. The total population of the pargana amounts to 60,867, of which 48,090 are Hindus and 2,777 Muhammadans this is at the rate of 563 to the square mile. Of the rivers, the Sai forms the boundary between this pargana and pargana Maurdnwan of Unao, and then flows away to pargana Bareli. It is of no use for purposes of irrigation, but on the contrary sweeps away the standing crops when it overflows its banks. There is another river in this pargana, called Naiya, which dries up altogether after the rainy season is over. These are the only two rivers. The soil is chiefly loam and clay bhur or sandy soil is scarcely found, save in the western parts near the river Sai. Irrigation is carried on for the most part by tanks. Water is found at an average depth of 32 feet.
This pargana is very fertile owing to its having a' good number of tanks. During the king's reign salt was manufactured in twelve villages, about 280 maunds, of the value of Rs. 171 per annum but it is not made now, though the manufacture of saltpetre is still carried on in eleven villages the outturn amounts to 1,050 maunds per annum. The pargana abounds in groves of mango and mahua trees. Other trees are met with jamun, kathal, gular, tamarind, bel, bargad, pipal, and babul but these are
—
neither plentiful, nor are they of much value. There are six markets held in this pargana, viz., Girdharaganj, (2) Hasanganj, (3) Kundanganj in village Karanpur, (4) Rampur Sidhauli, (6) Rajamau, (6) ShekhpUr Samodh. The first is held on Tuesdays and Fridays, the second, third and fifth are all held on Saturdays and Wednesdays, the fourth is held on Mondays and Fridays, and the sixth on Sundays and Tuesdays. The fourth, fifth and sixth, viz., of R£mpur, Rajamau and Shekhpur, are not of any importance. On the day they are held, the traders of the few neighbouring villages assemble and carry on their business. The usual articles offered for sale The markets of Girdharaganj, Kundanganj and are com and cotton. Hasanganj are of most importance and best known, as they stand exactly on the roadside from Bareli to Lucknow. There are saraes also for the accommodation of travellers and merchants, and there are some shops in these ganjes in which necessaries can be purchased at any time. In all these three markets on the days they are held almost every kind of commodity is brought from other districts, as salt and cotton from Cawnpur, utensils from Mirzapur, cotton from Benares, Tanda, Farukhabad, &c. The cattle market is that of Girdharaganj, and the cattle dealers attend this market chiefly in the rainy seasons from beyond the Gogra, and from the district of Tirhut. !N othing is exported from this pargana except gur and rice, which are sometimes bought to be sold again at Cawnpur. No fair is held throughout this pargana, and neither is there any place of pil-
grimage
for
Hindus
or
Muhammadans.
In the village Thulendi there stands the tomb of Taj-ud-din, who was of Masalid's army, and two reservoirs, one called ChhotaHauz (small reservoir), and the other Bara Hauz (large reservoir), both erected by the same TSj-ud-din. The remains of a mud fort built by Sultan Ibrahim of Jaunpxir are also to be seen in Thulendi.
