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/215

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IN THE BENGAL PROVINCES, 1872-73.
191

Sankhachakra, a figure of Vishnu Chaturbhuj.

Parvati, a female seated on a lion.

Besides these, there are two small Jain figures naked—a female under a tree which I take to represent Máyá Devi under the sâl tree; another female under a tree, with five Buddhist or Jain figures seated round her head on branches of the tree; on each side are four rows of two each of elephant and horse-faced men. Bunches of flowers and fruit hang round the head of the female figure.

There are a few others of no note; some lingams also form part of the collection.

The Ind parab is celebrated here also.

In his geography, General Cunningham, following the bearings and distances of Hwen-Thsaug, places his Kirana Sufalana near Barâ Bâzâr. As there are not many ruins there, while here the remains are numerous, and as the name Sápharan is apparently the original of Sufalana, I think that Hwen-Thsang's Kirana Sufalana may with much probability be identified with the Sápharan near this place; there is not far off a sub-division of Chutia Nâgpur called Karânpur, the Rájás of which place are said traditionally to have once ruled over the greater part of the country, including Dalmi. Admitting the probable correctness of this tradition, the Chinese Kirana Sufalana would be Karna Sápharana: Sápharana means destroyer of curses. In the absence, then, of other data, I propose to identify this place with the capital of Çaçangka Rájá.

DALMI.

Opposite Suissá, on the other side of the river, is Dulmi or Dalmi, said to possess a few fragments of sculpture; and further west, on the Kânchi river, close to Sonahátú, the villages of Jamdi, Burhadi, and Badla are also known as containing ancient remains. Ruins are also said to exist at and near the foot of Chanchalu hill.

BARÂ BÂZÂR.

Barâ Bâzâr or Barâbhum is said to possess one small old temple. I conjecture the name to be a contraction for Varahabhume, but I have nothing to offer for or against my conjecture, beyond the evident similarity of sound.

Six miles south-east of this place is the small village of Bangurda, said to contain ancient remains.