1838.] History of Cooch Behdr. 15 



Noro Narain. This division comprehended the whole northern parts 

 from the Chhonnokosh to the Mohananda, and from Sirkar Ghora- 

 ghat to the mountains of Bhotan, being a very fertile tract of country 

 about 90 miles from N. W. to S. E. and 60 miles from N. E. to S. W. 

 The north-west extremity of this territory was settled on the descendants 

 of Sivo Singho the son of Jira, the grand-aunt of Naro N. from among 

 whom the rajas were bound to choose their chief ministers (Baykot). 

 This portion, as producing an income of 32,000 rupees a year, was called 

 Bottrishazai ( Batis hazdri B.J but the general name given to the 

 principality was Vihar, as having been the scene of the voluptuous in- 

 tercourse between Siva and the daughters of Hajo. In order to distin- 

 guish this Vihar from the large territory of the same name near Patna 

 it has been usual to call it Koch Vihar (Coos Beyhar, Renn.^ ; but 

 all remembrance of the Koch is disagreeable to its princes, and at their 

 capital all additional appellations given to Vihar are considered as ex- 

 ceedingly uncourtly*. 



The following is the succession of these princes ; but among these 

 after the fifth generation are some sons by adoption, and some co-lateral, 

 and it is alleged illegitimate successors, of which I have been able to 

 procure no satisfactory account : 1st Noro N., 2nd Lokhymi N., 3rd 

 VerN., 4th Pran N., 5th Mod N., 6th Vosudev N., 7th Mohindro N., 

 8thDiNoN., 9th Rupo N.f, 10th Upendro N., 11th Devendro N., 

 12th Dhairjyendro N., 13th Rajendro N., 14th Dhorendro N., 

 15th Vijendro N.J, 16th Khogendro N.§, 17th Horendro N., the 



* The name of Kusha vihar is doubtless derived, though the people now know 

 nothing of it, from the Buddhist monastery or vihara which existed there in ancient 

 times, as did the province of Behar from another monastery near Gaya, or at Behdr. 



We know from M. Csoma's Life of Sha'kya (As. Res. XX. 310), that this Muni 

 died at Kusha the capital of Kamrup, (so called from the Kusha grass for which it 

 was famous:) and that the Chaitya " of the head ornament" was distant about 

 four miles from the pair of sal trees near this town, under which he expired (p. 311) ; 

 for says Kungavo-" in all the space from the city of Kusha to the river Yig-d&n, (the 

 Toresha?) fromthe grove of the sal trees to the Chaitya, 12 miles in circumference, there 

 is not a single spot which is not occupied by wise gods of great power — some rolling 

 on the ground, some wringing their hands, uttering ejaculations, some oppressed by 

 great sorrow, sit still, and some depending on religion say, ' The lord who in- 

 structed us in many things that were pleasing, agreeable and delightful to the heart, 

 has been delivered from pain ! " It would be very desirable to examine the site 

 and remains of the Kusha-vihara minutely, as it can hardly be doubted that the 

 place^whose champions contended for the possession of Buddha's relics with the eight 

 chief powers of India, must have been at that time, and long after, a town of great 

 importance. The rich valley of Assam was probably then what it seems again des- 

 tined to become in a few years.— Ed. 



f An usurper, only reigned a few days or weeks. J Dhairjyendro N. restored ? 



§ Khogendro, was the Nazir deo who actually governed the country but 

 never assumed the title of raja. 



