274 Report of the Archaeological Survey. [No. 4, 



has given the last as " many other extensive works," but the term in 

 the original is devalayataneshu cha, " and temples," devalaya being 

 one of the commonest names for a temple of any kind. In the 27th 

 verse the great temple to which the inscription was attached is said to 

 have been dedicated to Siva by the Raja, while the Queen built an- 

 other fane to Parvati. In the next verse they are described as " two 

 divine temples" (sura-griha) ; and in the 32nd verse it is stated that 

 the god and goddess were worshipped together under the title of 

 Devapalli. This then must be the origin of the name of Dewal, and 

 the great temple mound to the south of Garh-Gdjana must be the re- 

 mains of the two temples dedicated to Devapalli. 



365. In the inscription Raja Lalla calls himself the nephew of 

 Mans Chandra Pratdpa, and the grandson of Vira Varmma, who is 

 said to be of the race of Chhindu and descended from the great Rishi 

 Chyavana. This holy sage is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana as 

 having married Sukanya, the daughter of Saryati, the son of Manu. 

 He is also noticed in the Bhagavata and Padma Puranas, as appro- 

 priating a share of the marriage offerings to the Aswini Kumaras, 

 which entailed the quarrel with Indra, that is alluded to in verse 4 of 

 the inscription. The family therefore was reputed to be of ancient 

 descent ; but if Vira Varmma, the grandfather of Lalla, was the first 

 Raja, the establishment of the dynasty cannot be dated earlier than 

 A. D. 900. Now the Bd'chhal Rajputs claim descent from Raja Vena, 

 whose son was Virdt, the reputed founder of Barikhar or Virat Khera, 

 and whom I believe to be the same as Vira Varmma of the inscription. 

 To Raja Vena, or Ben, is attributed the erection of the great forts of 

 Garha-lcliera, and Sdhgarh. ; and to his queen, KetaJci Rani, is assigned 

 the excavation of the Rani Tdl at the old town of Kabar. Garh 

 Gdjana and the temples of Dewal were built by Raja Lalla. The 

 town and fort of Maraori are attributed to Moradhwaj, and Barkhera 

 to Harmal Raja ; but neither of these names appears in the very 

 imperfect and scanty list of their family which the Bdchhals now 

 possess. 



366. It is admitted by every one that the Katehriyas succeeded 

 the Bdchhals, but the Katehriyas themselves state that they did not 

 settle in Katehar until Samvat 1231, or A. D. 1174. Up to this date 

 therefore the Bdchhal Rajas may be supposed to have possessed the 



