84 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



forwarded by Dawk Banghy for submission to His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor, 

 a set of plans and drawings executed by Mr. C. H. Burke, late of the Revenue 

 Survey Department, deputed by me to visit the Caves for that purpose, which I feel 

 assured will be considered highly satisfactory as well as creditable to Mr. Burke's 

 industry and talents. 



2. The Caves are three in number, called the Beeah Mandah Rownah, Mandah, 

 and Chargoodree. They are situated in Talooqah Shapore, Singrowlee, Purgunnah 

 Burdee, which at the period of the Benares settlement was a small independent Raj 

 held by a branch of the Chundels of Agoree Burhur (vide Regulation II. of 1795, 

 Section 17) but was subsequently absorbed into the Rewah state by an arrange- 

 ment between the Rajahs of Rewah and Burdee, the latter of whom made over his 

 sovereignty to the former in exchange for a pension. 



3. The country near the Caves is very inaccessible, being nothing but a succes- 

 sion of rocky hills covered with dense jungle, containing a few miserable villages 

 inhabited by wild aboriginal tribes, from whom no information of a satisfactory 

 nature can be obtained ; the Caves themselves are avoided with superstitious dread 

 by the few remaining inhabitants, and are utterly abandoned to the wild beasts of 

 the forest. 



4. The only answer given to queries on the subject is that they were construct- 

 ed by the Balund Rajahs, a family of the Khurwar tribe, who held the sovereignty 

 of Agoree, and Singrowlee, till expelled by the Chundels, who emigrated to this 

 part of the country from Mohobah, somewhere about the year 1190, A. D. and 

 obtained possession of Agoree, &c. by expulsion of the Balunds about 50 years 

 subsequently. 



5. The representatives of the Balund Rajahs still reside in a village of Shapore 

 Singrowlee, called Mirwas, and although dispossessed for nearly 600 years, still 

 entertain a hope of one day being restored to their possessions. It is said that they 

 are under a vow never to bind on a turban till the day of restoration. 



6. Some ruins of wells and brick buildings, as well as a Fort, are found in the 

 Nilour hills, near a small village called Benowlee, 12 miles N. W. from the Caves, 

 which is said to have been the ancient capital of Shapore Singrowlee, and the last 

 strongholds of the Balunds, before their final expulsion, but no other remains are 

 to be found indicating the former existence of a people capable of constructing such 

 stupendous works. 



7. A small sketch map accompanies the drawings, showing the relative position 

 of the three excavated Hills, which are situated from 10 to 14 Koss south of the 

 most remote part of the Mirzapore district. 



I have, &c. 

 Chunar, Zd November, 1846. (Signed") W. M. Stuart. 



(True Copy) 



A. Shakespear, 

 Assistant Secretary to Government, N. W. P, 



