This happened in A. D. 1033 (Elliot’s India, Vol. II, page 58).
Here then is an account of an attack so daring and unexpected that it is hardly rivalled by the attacks of Bakhtiâr Khilji on Bihâr and Nadiya, at a later period; how Bihâr fared at Muhammadan hands may be inferred from the circumstance that when a Pandit was sought to read the books which were found during the sack of the city, not one could be found, as they had all been killed! Need it be wondered then that in this attack of Banâras as much damage as could possibly have been inflicted on the city was unsparingly inflicted? In such sudden attacks it is the large houses and temples which would be especially sought out, as being likely to yield most wealth with least search. Mahmud’s expeditions to India a few years before had taught Muhammadan soldiers where most booty was to be obtained, and they no doubt profited by it in this instance, although the account quoted makes no distinct mention of temples attacked.
Reverting now to the main subject, the changes in the course of the Son, I notice that Hwen Thsang proceeded 100 li, or about 17 miles, to the south-east (from the asylum stûpa at Arrah) to another stûpa, which was reputed to have been built by the Brahman Drona over the vessel with which he measured the relics of Buddha.
Remembering that the stûpa was built by a private individual, it could neither have been very large nor magnificent, and the total silence of Hwen Thsang regarding its appearance and size confirms the supposition that there was nothing remarkable about it. As it was built by a Brahman, the name given to it would probably be Brahmanical.
The site of the asylum stûpa has lately been identified by General Cunningham with Arrah, and I refer to his writings for the proofs. Taking measurements and bearings from Arrah as the site of the asylum stûpa, the site of the Drona stûpa falls somewhere in the vicinity of Bhartpura.
If then the Son flowed in the course indicated by me at the time of Buddha’s nirvâna, and if Hwen Thsang’s bearing and distance be correct, there ought to exist at this day traces of Buddhist remains there or thereabouts. To ascertain this I examined the country about Bhartpura with minute attention, and my labours were soon rewarded by the discovery of a small stûpa at Bhagwânganj, and the remains of temples at other villages in the vicinity.
The stûpa at Bhagwânganj is a low circular mound of
