132 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XIII, 



Shah invaded Orissa, but he too was defeated. On hearing 

 this, Man Singh was sent by Emperor Akbar to Bengal. On 

 the arrival of Man Singh, a Governor was appointed at Mada- 

 ran. Man Singh constructed a road from Burdwan to Medni- 

 pur which joins with Shir Shah's Grand Trunk Eoad. 



The tradition mentioned above supposes that Shah Ismail 

 Ghazi, said to be the general of Sultan 'Alau'd-Dln Husayn 

 Shah of Bengal, who reigned from 899 to 925 h. = 1493-1518 

 a.d., was a contemporary and vassal of great Akbar. This can 

 never be true. 



There are two tombs, one of Shah Ismail Ghazi, called 

 CJihota Astana, and the other on an elevated spot, called Bard 

 Astana. No one can definitely say whose tomb the latter As- 

 tana contains. It is surrounded by jungle and consists of 

 terraces, on the highest of which is the tomb. Some say that 



when Shah Ismail Ghazi was beheaded, his head was buried at 



the Bara-Astana and his trunk at the Chhota-Astana. Others 

 say that Shah Isma'll Ghazi was buried at the Chhota-Astana. 

 and the Bara Astana contains the remains of another person. 

 It is supposed that Royal treasure was buried there. 



According to Lieut. -Colonel Crawford ' the ruins of the 

 inner fort or Bhitargarh are situated on the south-west bank 

 of the river Amodar, which issues at the northern corner of an 

 extensive ramp, flows across it, passing out a gap in the wes- 

 tern side, near its south end. Outside the southern ramp is a 

 narrow tank, which is no doubt the remnant of a moat. The 

 situation was well chosen for defence. The ramp of the 

 "outer part" or Bahir-garh is some 15 feet high. A little 

 north of the northern fort is Garh Madaran, where I met a few 

 Muhammadan gentlemen of the "place. 



The legends of Shah Isma'il Ghazi, the Warrior Saint, are 

 such that I cannot believe them as a whole. But they are 

 universally believed by the young and old of Madaran. * This 



Tugh 



peo 



1 ft.) loosely fixed in front of the Ghazi's tomb made it very 

 difficult for me to obtain for a long time a rubbing of the in- 

 scription. I was promised that an estampage of the inscrip- 

 tion would be sent to me in the course of a couple of day- 

 but no one of the village was willing to get up and take a rul>- 

 bmg through fear that some calamity would befall him. \ 

 then requested a Muhammadan gentleman at Jahanabad 



Arambagh) 



also, it possible, copy of the same, which, as I understand, wa> 

 taken some years ago. The gentleman very kindly supple 



impression 



1 studied 



"Twi? ^ ? f historical Interest in Hughli District, published 

 bengal, Past and Present," Vol. II. 



in 



