1870.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 123 



Tho astanah and the old mosque are under the charge of two 

 Mutawallis who live in a village near Panduah. About three or 

 four generations ago, the lineal descendants of f afi having died 

 out, the Mutawalli ship fell into the hands of a branch-line, to 

 which the present Mutawallis belong. The old mosque is chiefly- 

 used for prayer at the time of the Baqr 'I'd. Several fairs are an- 

 nually held for the benefit of the Astanah, and many people come 

 from distant places, and prepare food, or present eatables, re- 

 ceiving in return every assurance that the desires of their hearts 

 (Juijdt) will be fulfilled. The beautiful tank to the south of the 

 tomb, is called Rauzah PoFhar. Another tank also, north of 

 Panduah, belongs to the Saint, and is called Pir Potthar. A large 

 alligator lives in it, and when the Faqir near the tank calls ' Kali 

 Khan' or ' Kafir Khan M^an,' evidently in allusion to its black 

 colour, it will come to the land expecting to get a fowl as reward. 

 Hindus and Muhammadans sacrifice to it poultry in fulfilment of 

 vows. It is curious to see how such places are patronized by the 

 people, irrespective of their creed ; and I have often remarked, 

 that Hindus, whenever the treatment of a disease, for instance, is 

 left to the miraculous power of a saint, will apply to a Muham- 

 madan dervish, and reversely, Muhammadans to Hindu Faqirs. 

 Only lately a Hindu sent his son from Hugli to Harwar in B aim da 

 (24-Parganahs), the burial-place of Gora Chand, to whose memory 

 a fair is also annually held in Baniapok'har, Calcutta, (Circular 

 Poad). On arrival at Harwar, the hermit told him to lie down, 

 when some time after, he fell over the young man beating him 

 severely with a large stick. Some of his companions came to res- 

 cue him ; but he told them to let the Faqir do what he liked ; he 

 patiently bore the thrashing, and got cured. 



There is also a modern mosque in Panduah, called the Qutb 

 fahib Mosque. It was built in 1140 A. H. (1727-28 A. D.) by 

 Path Khan, son of Shuja', an Afghan of the Siir clan. 



The following is the legend which I heard at Panduah regarding 

 the foundation of the Muhammadan settlement : — 



* Six hundred years ago, when the Pandub Eajah reigned over 

 the district, Shah pafiuddin lived at Panduah. The Eajah was 

 a powerful man, and resided at Mahanath, a village not far 



