280 Arabic and Persian Inscriptions in the Hkgli District. [No. 4, 



Notes on the Arabic and Persian Inscriptions in the Hiigli Dis- 

 t r ict. — By H. Blochmann, Esq., M. A., Assist. Professor, Calcutta 

 Madrasah. 



(With 5 plates.) 



The following notes form the sequel to my paper on ' Places of 

 Historical Interest in the District of Uiujli, which was published in 

 the Proceedings of the Society for April, 1870. The inscriptions 

 given in this article are all of Muhammadan origin ; the more 

 important ones are in Arabic, the Persian inscriptions being few 

 and modern. The originals are at Tribeni, Mulla Simla, Satganw, 

 Panduah, and Dinanath. 



The earliest Arabic inscription mentions the year A. H. 698, 

 or A. D. 1298; the latest belongs to A. H. 936, or A. D. 1580. 

 They are all cut in basalt, with the letters raised, and the cha- 

 racter of nearly all of them is Tughrd, which renders the reading 

 difficult, and has probably been the reason why these inscriptions, 

 though so near our metropolis, have never been collected. 



Satganw and Tribeni lie N. W. and N., respectively, of Hiigli ; 

 but visitors will find it convenient to go to Mugra, the Railway 

 Station next to Hugli, as both places are each only about two 

 miles distant from the terminus. Satganw lies S. W., and Tribeni 

 to the E. of the station. 



Satganw is reached by the Grand Trunk Eoad. Half way 

 between Mugra and Satganw, the road meets the Saraswati, 

 or Sursuttee, now varying in breadth from three to six feet, but 

 a few centuries ago a broad river. The old banks are still clearly 

 visible. After passing the bridge, a ruined mosque will be seen 

 to the right of the road. This mosque which, together with a 

 few tombs near it, is the only remnant of the old capital of 

 Lower Bengal, was built, as will be seen below, by Sayyid Jamal 

 Din (Jamaluddin), son of Sayyid Fakhruddin, who, according to 

 the inscriptions, had come from Amul, a town on the Caspian 

 Sea. The Khadim, who is attached to the mosque, knew nothing 

 of this Sayyid ; he said, Fakhruddin had come with his friends 

 Shah pafi of Panduah and Ghazi Zafar Khan of Tribeni to Bengal. 





