30. — Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVEIT- 
also seems to point to a Muhammadan origin for this family. 
Tt is situated on the opposite side of the small river _Ichhamati 
to Hashnabad. 
20. (a) SHUKU |) SxikpaRBari.—Shuku is from the Ben- 
(6) Nagar \ gali 2%, happiness; Nagar is said to 
(c) NaLMon be a corruption of Nagen, or it may 
simply mean ‘ town’ as in Nagarbashi—a fairly common name 
amongst low caste Hindus;! and Nalmon is a corruption of 
Lalmohan (vide No. 2). I was told that the homestead name 
indicates that the boys are descended from the petty village 
pleader who used to appear in disputes before the priests, and 
that the family came from Malikanda, near Narisha, before it 
was cut away by the river. The ancestors of the family held 
good positions when indigo was still largely grown in Eastern — 
Bengal. It may, however, be noted here that in Bikrampur , 
Shikdar is the usual name of the nafrs (or former slaves), who 
now hold land from Zemindars on condition that they perform 
certain menial duties when required, e.g. they clean the cook- 
ing utensils of the household, and at weddings they have to 
carry the bridegroom and bride in procession.’ 
21. Senny Bitu-Sapu-Bart.—This extraodinary name 
(4{{)--this word in turn is derived from Sadhan (intensive 
meditation) —or whose father was called Sadu—a corruption of 
the Muhammadan name Saadat Ali. It was suggested that Bilu 
is the equivalent of William, but Bilu is a common Hindu and 
Muhammadan name. It isa corruption of Bilva, the Bel tree, 
which is regarded as sacred by Hindus. as it is supposed to be 
the favourite tree of Mahadeva (Siva): no Hindu puja can be 
performed without its leaves. : 
In this and other similar cases, the Christians present free- 
ly admitted that they were descended from Bengalis, and in 
illustration of how Portuguese names do not imply descent, - 


that all but those whose Surname was ‘Gomez’ had been ac- 
ee Sa Sa a ht ag Ses 
! If pronounced Nagar, it means ‘Lover *, as in Sri Krishna’s 
name ‘* Nagar yam Rai.” 
2 This 1s another instance of the sarcastic use of high titles that has 
been previously referred to in the note on No. 8 supra In the time of 
Muslim rule in Bengal, the officers in charge of Revenue divisions termed 
anais were given the title of Shiqdar, c}. Blockmann, Geography and 
History of Bengal, J.A.S8.B.., 1873, pp. 214 & 273 
