They are in Bengali characters, and are cut in relief—an almost certain sign of their recent age. One of them mentions a Rájá's name and Kalyânakot; as the temples are known as the sthana of Devi Kalyâneswari, it appears that formerly a small fort) named Kalyânakot (kot meaning citadel), existed here. The statue of the Devi herself in the principal temple,—a large, plain, massive, pyramidal roofed, dark temple, with balustrade-shaped pillars in front,—is inscribed. The inscription is in Bengali. It reads "Sri Sri Kaiyâneswari charana parayan Srijukta Deva Nâtha Deva Sarmma."
Tradition says that a Rohni Deoghar Brahman once saw a jewelled arm rise out of the waters in the nala adjacent; he went and informed Rájá Kalaya Sinha of Kâsipur, Pachet, who came himself to see, and saw the prodigy. At night the goddess herself appeared to him in a dream, and pointing to an irregular stone, somewhat like a rude argha, said, "This is my murtti, worship it;" the Rájá accordingly caused the temple to be erected, and the stone having been duly inscribed, was installed in the temple. As the Rájás of Pachet did not reside at Kasipur till comparatively very recent times, the temples cannot be old.
PÁNDRÁ.
About 9 miles west of Barâkar, and 1½ to the north of the Grand Trunk Road, is the large and important village of Pándrá, the residence of the Chief (now a female) of the district; here are several temples, all in a group, on a high revetted mound enclosed by a low wall; the principal temple is clearly a modern restoration of an older temple, but there are other small single-cell temples, which have not undergone much alteration, though all have received attention and are kept in repair by the Ráni; the place was evidently one of importance in ancient times, and the great terrace on which the temples are built, and the positions of the two existing smaller temples, show that here stood a large temple, surrounded by minor ones; the temples are interesting for the curious moulding (see plate), and the enclosure wall appears to be, in parts, of its original form. It is said that, while repairs were being executed, an inscription was found, and was inserted by the mason into some part of the temple, but where no one knew; and as the temples are well covered with whitewash and plaster, and I was not permitted to go in, I failed to discover it. The temples are ascribed to the Pândus, from whom, also, the place Pándrá is said to derive its name. I
