110 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [April, 



which the form Bangdlah occurs, is a Ghazal* by Hafiz, which he 

 sent from Shiraz to Sultan Ghiasuddin, who reigned over Bengal 

 from 1367 to 1373. 



In later histories, again, the term JDiydr i Bang becomes obsolete, 

 and no other name occurs but Bangdlah. 



The south coast of Bengal, which we now-a-days call the ' Sun- 

 darban,' went by the general name of Bhdti (^jI^j) which signifies 

 lands overflown by the tide ; but Abulfazl, in the Akbarnd/nah, in- 

 cludes in this term the whole tract along the Megna and Brahma- 

 putra. 



The above mentioned three towns, Sa.tga.nw, Lak'hnauti, and Sun- 

 narganw were fast decaying at the time when Todar Mall completed 

 (1582) his Acli Tumdr i Jam\ or rent-roll of Bengal, of which we 

 have a copy in the Ain. Lak'hnauti, from the earliest times, was 

 notorious for its fevers, which caused the kings of Bengal continu- 

 ally to shift their residence to neighbouring towns, as Panduah and 

 Akddlah ; and Satganw, in 1582, was no longer considered as bandar 

 or harbour, nor were tolls collected there ;f but it had, as late as 

 951, or A. D. 1544, a mint. J Sunnarganw was soon after eclipsed 

 by Dhaka (Dacca). 



In official documents Bengal is often mentioned under the title 

 of Jannatul-Bildd, or the Paradise of countries ; and Lak'hnau- 

 ti was called Jannatdbdd i Bangdlah ,§ or Paradise town; but the 

 Muhammadans gave it at an early period the nickname of Dozahh- 

 pur i Ni'mat^W or ' Hell town of riches.' Lak'hnauti and Satganw 

 had, moreover, a bad name with the emperors of Dihli, who in 

 allusion to the frequent revolts of their governors, conferred upon 



(Metre Muzari'). 'The parrots of Ind will learn to enjoy sweets, when this 

 Persian sugar (llafiVs poem) come.? to Bengal.' 



f • The distance between Satganw and Bugli is half a hos ; but harbour tolls 

 are only collected at the latter place. Both are in the hands of the Firingf.' 

 A'tn. The distance is much greater than given by Abulfazl. The village of 

 Satganw is not given on the Trig Map of the Hugh' District of 1852. 



% Thomas, Initial Coinage of Bengal, J. A. S. 13. 1867, p. 72. The fine 

 mosque the ruins of which may still be seen in Satganw, was built in A. H. 

 936, (1529-30, A. D.). 



§ In opposition to Jaluapur in the Dak'hin, which was called Jannatdbdd i 

 Dakliin. 



|| lbni Batata, quoted by Thomas. 



