190 E. V. Westmacott — On Traces of Buddhism in Dindjpm\ [No. 3, 



It evidently belongs to a later period than that of the Buddhist kings. 

 This last sculpture is almost exactly similar to the one at Jogighopa, called 

 Narayana Chaturbhuja, which has also the device of the lion and elephant. 



It is quite clear that the S'aiva worshippers preserved the Buddhist 

 sculptures of an earlier age with their own. Whence these remains were 

 taken it is impossible to conjecture. The only . traces of antiquity near 

 Khyetlal are certain inequalities, said to have formed the site of a residence 

 of the Borddhon-kuti zamindars, but they contain scarcely any bricks, and 

 appear to be comparatively modern. Near the sculptures are the S'aiva 

 lingam and argha, and close by was found a granite pillar, which I caused 

 to be set up at the corner of the thana compound. 



North-east from Panchbibi thana, and eleven miles N. N. E. from 

 the Paharpur stupa, on the banks of the Tulsiganga, is the shrine of 

 Nimay Shah, a Muhammadan saint of great sanctity. The place is called 

 Patharghata from the number of stones collected in the river. I made my 

 way to this place with great difficulty, and my visit was very disappointing 

 from the density of the jungle and an attack of fever. As I left the shrine, 

 I came face to face with a large leopard, whom I woke up from his siesta 

 under a tree. I saw quite enough to satisfy me that this formed no exception 

 to General Cunningham's rule that the erection of a Muhammadan mosque 

 always implies the destruction of a Hindu temple. There is a decided 

 mound of bricks, which has evidently been much reduced by taking material 

 for the Muhammadan buildings, which have been rather extensive, but if, as 

 I think likely, the mound has been a Buddhist stupa, it must have been 

 a much smaller one than the one at Paharpur, unless indeed, the main part 

 of the original stupa has been cut away by the Tulsiganga, which might 

 account for the great number of stones in the bed of the river. Among 

 them I found the head and shoulders of a colossal statue of Buddha. 



About a mile to the north-west, at a place called Mahipur, the 

 heavy jungle covers the remains of many masonry buildings, which Dr. 

 Buchanan was told had been the residence of Mahi Pal, while similar 

 ruins at 'Atapur, close by, were said to have been the palace of Usha Pal. 

 I could hear of no traditions of the Pals when I was in the neighbourhood. 

 On the actual spot there are no inhabitants. Nevertheless, the na.ne of 

 Mahi Pal is certainly suggested by the name Mahipur, as it is by 

 numerous other names, from the tank of Mahi Pal Dighi, forty-five miles to 

 the northwest, to Mahiganj in Rangpur, fifty miles N. N. E. from the 

 great stupa. It may be traced in several places called Mahiganj, Mahipur, 

 or Mahinagar, and perhaps in the name of Mahi Santosh, given to the site 

 of a Muhammadan shrine on the banks of the Atrai, in parganah Santosh, 

 evidently occupying the site of a large Hindu town, The inscriptions on 

 the tomb are of the date of Barbak Shah. 



