1839.] Report on the District of Azimgurh. 91 



der two leaders, Gen Rai and Men Rai. They established themselves 

 in Tuppah Dowlutabad, and there founded two villages. Mehannug- 

 gur was the residence of Men Rai, and Goura of Gen Rai. To one of 

 these two stocks all the Gautums of that part of the country trace 

 their origin. It is impossible to say when this incursion took place, 

 but circumstances will afterwards be stated, which show that in the 

 beginning of the seventeenth century, the family had increased to such 

 an extent, that some of the stock were obliged to leave the country in 

 search of subsistence. 



27th. It is not to be supposed that the families regularly multiplied 

 without interruption from the first stock to the present day. Vio- 

 lent changes constantly took place. Tribes were swept away by 

 the incursions of foreigners, or by the aggressions of their neighbours. 

 During the fifteenth century the kings of the Sherki dynasty from 

 Juanpoor, exercised great sway in the district. Parts of the country 

 seem indeed to have been held by Mahomedans. Pergunnah Belha- 

 bans is said to have been peopled by Mahomedans, who were extermi- 

 nated by an incursion of the Bais Rajpoots, who are at present in 

 exclusive possession of the country. Thus too Tuppah Shah Suleem- 

 poor, in Pergunnah Deogaon, seems both from its name and the 

 numerous Mahomedan tombs still existing, to have been not very long 

 ago in the possession of Mussulmans, though it is held entirely by a 

 race of Bhooimjars, who came originally from Goruckpore, and are of 

 the same stock as the Rajah of Benares. 



28th. The occasional incursions and supremacy of the Mussulmans 

 is strongly marked in different parts of the country by the existence 

 of shrines and tombs of Shuheed Murds, who are believed to have 

 fallen in contests with the inhabitants of the country, either Hindoos, 

 if in later times, or evil genii, if in older times. Thus the town of 

 Mhow obtains its distinctive title of e Nath Bhunjun' from the exploit 

 of a saint called Mullick Tahir, who expelled the evil genius Deo 

 Nauth, and made the country habitable by men; or, in other words, 

 was some adventurer, who drove out the original inhabitants, and 

 located a colony of Mussulmans. The followers of Mullick Tahir 

 have however long since given place to a colony of Dhoonwar 

 Rajpoots, and no trace of the exploit now remains but the old shrine, 

 with numerous other graves strewed around it, where the devotion of 

 all classes, Hindoos as well as Mahomedans, constantly keeps a light 

 burning. Instances similar to this are numerous. 



29th. Near the close of the 16th century a member of the Gautum 

 family of Rajpoots in Tuppah Dowlutabad, Pergunnah Nizamabad, 



