1892.] Baraprasad Shastri — Notes on the Banks oj the Hugli. 195 



passing Triveni, was Kumarhatta, an important Brahmanic settlement 

 of very ancient date. Its modern name is Halisahar in the district 

 of 2-1 Purganahs. Kumarhatta was on the left ; on the right however, 

 he saw Hngli, modern Hugli. It was at this place that the Portuguese 

 settled early in the 16th century to have a share of the commerce 

 of Safcgaon. Hugli was even before the settlement of the Portuguese, a 

 place of somo importance, otherwise the Portuguese would not have 

 settled there. Some people think that the name Hugli was given to 

 the place by the Portuguese, its ancient name being Grolin. But Bipra- 

 daa who writes before the arrival of the Portuguese in India, mentions it 

 by its proper name Hugli. Then it mentions on the left Bhatpara, and 

 on the right Boro. Chinsura and Chandannagar are not mentioned 

 at all. Bhatpara is a very ancient settlement of Rarhiya Brahmans. The 

 Vaidika Brahmans of Bhatpara who now occupy a prominent position 

 in Bengal were not as yet settled at the place. Boro is now a very 

 insignificant place lying within the French territory of Chandannagar, 

 with a local goddess Kali named Borai Chandi. On the other side 

 of Boro is mentioned Kankiuara, which also is now an insignificant 

 place. The mention of these smxll places in prefei'ence to others 

 of more importance in modern times, shews that the text of the book 

 has not been altered in copying. In fact in a rare work like this the 

 chances of interpolation and tampering with the text are much less than 

 in the case of well-known books which enjoy great popularity. Then 

 on the east are mentioned Mulajore and Gahrulia, places which still 

 exist, and contain old B rah manic settlements, and on the west Paikpara, 

 which is a very insignificant hamlet now, to the south of Telinipara, and 

 Bhadresvar, a well-known place for trade in grains. Then on the 

 two sides of the river are described two villages, viz., Champdani and 

 Ichapur, places which are still well-known in Bengali Society. Then 

 on the Eastern side of the river is mentioned a place named Banki- 

 1 azar — which was anciently a place of some importance, as in the year 

 1725 A. D. the Ostend East Indian Company, established by Charles 

 VI, the Emperor of Germany, father of the celebrated Maria Theresa, 

 made their factory at this place. For eight years they carried on a 

 lucrative trade at Bankibazar, but were expelled from the Indian soil 

 in the year 1733 by the united efforts of the English at Calcutta, the 

 Dutch at Chinsura and the Fouzdara of Hugli. The exact site of the 

 factory and of Bankibazar was^long a matter of speculation, but the 

 present manuscript settles it, as being on the other side of Champdani. 

 It is in fact situated two miles to the north of Barackpur on the river, 

 and it belongs to Aunapurna Devi of Calcutta. Beyond Bankibazar, but 

 on the other side of the river, is mentioned the celebrated Nimdi 



