130 On the Antiquities of Bdgerluit. [No. 2, 



superstitious race. Parents from different parts of Jessorc, Pubna, 

 Farridpur and Backerganj repair to this place, and occasionally 

 leave their children with the Fakirs, in the hope of their taking pity 

 on the sufferers, and curing their afflictions. This is generally a 

 temporary arrangement, and the little ones are taken home as soon 

 as they are cured, and often long before, if the hope of recovery be- 

 come faint or fail. Rarely one out of several sons is, in fulfilment 

 of a vow, dedicated to the service of religion, to be brought up amongst 

 the Fakirs ; but never is a child abandoned in the tank, or in the 

 neighbouring jungle, with a view to destruction. 



Close by and to the north of the tank there is a large tomb which 

 holds in its centre the mortal remains of Khan Jahan. It is built 

 of remarkably well-burnt bricks of a large size, and strengthened by 

 stone boulders in some of the piers. In style it differs little from simi- 

 lar structures in other parts of Bengal — a square of 45 feet, having 

 a central hall along the whole length, and connected with two side aisles 

 by open archways. The exterior has an arched doorway on each side, 

 the north being closed. The height is 47 feet to the top of the 

 dome, which is a well proportioned structure, somewhat pointed at 

 the top, and seated on a collar high enough to raise it above the line 

 of the cornice without itself being offensively prominent. 



The plastering of the building has peeled off in many places, but 

 from what remains it is evident that the builder was perfectly familiar 

 with the art by which the masons of Delhi of that time gave a marble- 

 like smoothness and polish to chunam work. The steps round the grave 

 are inlaid with encaustic tiles of various colours, the richness of which 

 has withstood the wear and tear of four hundred years without any 

 serious damage. Some of the tiles are hexagons 4 inches across, while 

 others are squares of 6 J inches each side. The substance of the latter 

 is a white stone ware, and the enamelling on it is of a character 

 which makes me suspect these tiles to have been imported from China. 

 The former are of red earth, and the glazing and designs on them are 

 of inferior execution. Their counterparts are commonly met with 

 in Pathan buildings in Grour and elsewhere. The art of making these 

 tiles has now been lost to the natives ; the only remains of it are to 

 be met with among the potters of Murshidabad and Birbhiim, 

 who apply a glazing of some consistency in blue, green and white, 



