776 Ancient Land Grants in Assam. [No. 104. 



Abstract Lineage of Vanamala. By Pundit Kamalakanta. 



The first Baraha had a son named Naraka from the earth (his wife ;) Naraka had two 

 sons named Bhaga-datta and Vajra-datta, and was himself slain by Krishna, who being 

 affected by the mournings of his wife, made Bhaga-datta her son king of Pragj yotisha. 



From his line descended Pralambha, who also succeeded to the Guddee of 

 Pragj yotisha. 



From his queen, whose name was Jivada, was born Hajara, who also had named 

 Vanamala from Tdrd his wife. 



Note 5yPMwdi^ Kamalakanta. 



Three letters of the third quarter next to the words Armbhakrirat of the first Sloka, 

 which is in the Sragdhara C'hhanda, have been obliterated, the three letters Subhusha 

 are placed in lieu of them. 



Here the reason of inserting ra in the place of rha is, that the inhabitants of that 

 place (of Assam) can not with ease pronounce the latter, and therefore they are liable 

 to make use of the former {ra) both in their speaking and writing. 



At the end the word Tresrotdyd, which is the mistake of the writer, should be Tres- 

 rotasa, as Vanamala was himself master of even the territories situated on the banks of 

 Ganga [it is probable] he personally went there, and after performing sacrifices granted 

 lands to YdgneJcdchdrya on its western bank. 



Granting lands with Tamrasasana is said to have been reward of y^ga [ceremonies.] 



All this is described also in Sisupdlavadha [the work in which the death of Sisupala 

 is described.] 



Note on the above. 



The early history of those tracts on the banks of the Brahmapootra 

 which lie to the north-east of Bengal, and which are now for the most 

 part either forest land, tenanted only by wild animals, or wastes partially 

 reclaimed and inhabited by tribes nearly as wild as the beast of the forest, 

 is unfortunately involved in singular obscurity. The soil of Assam Proper 

 is of great fertility, its products are numerous, and the results of the indus- 

 try of the inhabitants and of settlers, encouraged and fostered by the equi- 

 table rule, and efficient protection of the British Government, prove that 

 the land is capable of supporting the densest population. The character 

 of the extensive hilly country between Assam, and Cachar, and Munipore, 

 would appear to be not dissimilar ; and we in fact have the strongest proof 

 that the whole of these tracts were at a former period thickly inhabited by 

 a people far advanced in civilization. The immense earth works which 

 traverse Assam forming at once dams for the retention of water, and com- 

 modious roads across the flooded country, the extensive ruins in Chardwar, 

 (Jour. As. Soc. vol. iv. No. 40, April 1835,) the remains of the ancient city 

 of Dhemapoor, in the Naga country, are not the only proofs extant of the 

 power, wealth, and energy of the former inhabitants of these tracts. It 

 is however very unfortunate that among the numerous remains already 

 discovered, no inscriptions have been found, which could lead to conclusions 

 as to their real history. Capt. Westmacott (formerly Assistant to the Gover- 

 nor General's Agent on the North East Frontier) has indeed in the able pa- 

 per above alluded to, sketched from tradition, and such records as are 

 extant, a history of the early monarchs who ruled at Pora in Chardwar ; 

 but as regards the general history of the country, we have little that can be 

 looked upon as authentic. " The very numerous remains of stone temples," 

 says Major Jenkins in a letter to me, " all completely overthrown (except 

 some of quite modern date, erected out of the ancient structures) speak 

 of long periods of prosperity, and great revolutions of which we are entirely 

 ignorant. From one of the temples at Hajoo being frequented by pil- 

 grims from all parts of Thibet, and Tartary, I imagine the Boodhist 

 faith formerly prevailed in Assam, and this may account in part for the 

 destruction of the temples. That faith was succeeded perhaps by the 



