184/.] Inscription at Oomgd. ] 22 1 



twelve years as the average of each of twelve reigns, we shall be carried 

 back 144 years, or to the middle of the 13th century, the period when 

 the Rajpoot chiefs of central India made their crusades against the 

 Buddhists of Gaya. We may perhaps with propriety suppose that these 

 Som'or Chundra Vansa chiefs of Oomga Nugguri, as the place is termed, 

 may have been on the crusade and usurped the power of the former 

 rulers of the province, the Pal Rajas of Bengal, who I believe were of a 

 different race — yet it is possible that the Oomga chiefs may have been 

 themselves descendents of the Gour family, who were votaries of Kama 

 Deva, for at Kooch near Gaya, is a fine temple, the real dedication of 

 which is not known, built by this very Bhyrub Indra, where an image 

 of Kama is to be seen. In Prinsep's tables we find a Kumara Pala 

 Sumvut 1017, recorded in the Sarnath inscription, but this would give 

 about forty years for each reign, which is too much ; Kumara is made 

 to be preceded by Bhoompal ; the same name forms the first on Abul 

 Fazil's list ; our present list is as follows : 



1. Bhomipal, 8. Mull Deva, 



2. Kumar Pal, 9. Keisi Raj, 



3. Luchmun Pal, 10. Bhur Sing Deva, 



4. Chundra Pal, 11. Bhan Deva, 



5. Nain Pal, 12. Som Eswur, 



6. Sundh Pal, 13. Bhyrub Indra. 



7. Abhai Deva, 



Buchanan, in describing Kooch, appears not to have done more than 

 name Bhyrub Indra as the reputed founder, for I could learn nothing of 

 him in Montgomery Martin's Compilation, perhaps when I shall have 

 carefully examined all the inscriptions I collected at and around Gaya, I 

 may find some further clue to the solution of the problem. The value 

 of such records as these for historical purposes would seem to be greatly 

 lessened through the absurdly florid and metaphorical style of writing. 

 A petty lord may have thrown off allegiance to the sovereign Ruler 

 (if there were such a person) and have gone on a plundering expedition ; 

 his cunning courtier draws up his pedigree and dubs him with the style 

 and character of a mighty warrior, and lord of the universe, and per- 

 haps gives him a new name possessed by some one of real renown. This 

 leads to perplexity ; for at this remote period who is there to decide 

 which was " this McNab or the other McNab ;" in illustration of this I 



