622 History of the Gurha Mundala Rdjas. [Aug. 



preserved in the palace with the greatest care up to the year 1 780, 

 when it was lost in the pillage of the place by the Saugor troops, 

 and all search for it has since proved fruitless. There are, however, 

 several highly respectable men still living who often saw it, and have 

 a perfectly distinct recollection of its contents. How and when the 

 Gonds succeeded this family in the sovereignty of Mundala we are 

 never likely to learn ; nor would it be very useful to inquire. 



This family of Haihaibunsis reigned over Lahnjee, formerly called 

 Chumpanuttu ; Rutunpore, formerly called Monepore ; Mundala, for- 

 merly called Muhikmuttee, (Mahikmati,) and Sumbulpore, (Sambhalpur.) 



The Gurha Mundala dynasty boast a Rajpoot origin, though they 

 are not recognized to be genuine. Tradition says a soldier of fortune 

 from Kandiesh, Jadoo Rae* entered the service of one of the Haihai* 

 bunsi sovereigns of Lahnjee, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage 

 to the source of the Nerbudda at Amurlaintuk. One night while 

 standing sentry over the prince's tent he saw three Gonds, two men 

 and a woman, pass, followed by a large monkey of the sacred or 

 Hunooman tribe ; and as they passed the monkey looked in his face 

 and dropped some peacock's feathers, which he took up and brought 

 home with him when relieved from his post. On falling asleep the god- 

 dess Nerbudda (Narmada) appeared to him, and told him that the people 

 he had seen were not, as he supposed Gonds, but the god Ram, his, 

 consort Sita, and his brother Luchmun ; that the Hunooman was 

 the faithful follower of the god, and the feathers he had dropped 

 were to signify, that he should one day attain to sovereign power. 

 He was at the same time told to visit Surbhee Partuk, a brahman 

 recluse, who lived at Ramnugur, near Tilwara ghat in the vicinity of 

 Gurha, and consult with him on all occasions of difficulty, as his 

 spiritual guide. 



Immediately after this vision, Jadoo Rae quitted the service of the 

 Lahnjee prince, and proceeded to the brahman recluse at Ramnugur ; 

 but on entering upon an explanation of his motive for visiting him, 

 was very much surprised to hear him say, that he was perfectly well 

 acquainted with his motive, as the goddess had appeared to him also 

 and informed him of his great destiny. He then took him into the 

 middle of the river Nerbudda, and there made him swear by the 

 sacred stream, that if he ever attained sovereignty he would appoint 

 him to the office of prime minister. This being done he recommend- 

 ed Jadoo Rae to proceed, and offer his services to the Gond raja 



* Jadoo Rae (Jadu Ra'ya) the son of Jud Sing patel of the village of 

 Sehlgow about 20 coss the other side of the Godaweree river some say. 



