200 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XV, 
CHAPTER iI. 
THe RaJ oR ATHARAHGARH. 
6. The fact that the name Chhattisgarh (36 Forts) is 
derived from the existence of two adjacent kingdoms of 
Atharahgarh (18 Forts) is, one would have thought, indisput- 
able. Writing more than a century ago the author of “ 
Narrative of a Journey from Mirzapur to Nagpur in 1798-9” 
tells us that “‘ Chhuri is one of the thirty-six towns and forts 
which give name to the province of Chhattisgarh.” But there 
houses) derived from the immigration of 36 families of Chamars 
from Behar. This theory, evolved by Mr. Beglar at his first 
considered, were it not that his contention gains a weight 
which it does not deserve by reason of its publication in the 
official records of the Archaeological Department. 
Thus Mr. P. N. Bose begins his *‘ Notes on the tribes, sects 
and castes of Chhattisgarh” (published at page 269 of the 
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. LIX, Part I, for 
1890) as follows :— 
“Central Provinces Gazetteer Chhattisgarh owes its name to 
“ thirty-six (Chhattis) forts (garh) included within it. Serious 
“ objections, however, have been urged against this interpreta- 
“tion by Mr. Beglar of the Archaeological Survey. While in 
‘Behar he heard a tradition, that ages ago, in the time of 
‘“ Jarasandha, thirty-six families of Chamars had emigrated 
‘had ‘heard in Behar, came back to his mind. Here was 4 
“ country far from Behar, and south of it, the people of which 
“appeared to him to be singularly like the Beharis in their 
« language, dress, manners and customs—a people, too, of which 
“the Chamars formed a very important element. . Beglar 
“ suggests that Chhattisgarh derives its name from the thirty- 
“six families of Behari Chamars who settled there; according 
