Dec. 1861.] 



The Nagpore Bhonslas. 



213 



XV. — A sketch of the History of the Bhonsla family of Nagpore, 

 taken from an old domestic of the Palace. (From the Records 

 of the Nagpore Residency J November 1811. 



Cheema Baee the mother of the reigning Rajah,* in conversa- 

 tion with people of her household has often mentioned the fol- 

 lowing particulars : — 



Ranojee Bhonsla, Patel of Hingunberdee, was in the service of 

 Rajah Sahoo, (Rajah of Sattara) who promoted him to the com- 

 mand of his Pagah and gave him the title of Sena Sahib Sooba. 

 Raghojee and Kanojee Bhonsla, his first cousins by the father's 

 side, were in the service of Nizam-ool-Moolk Asoof Jah, and en- 

 joyed Omraotee and Bham in jagheer from that Chief. 



Ranojee had a son Pursojee who succeeded to the office of his 

 father, and whose son Raghojee received from the Sahoo Rajah 

 the Sicca and Katharf and his shoes, with a command to take 

 possession of any country which he might be able to conquer. 

 Raghojee upon this came to Bham and lived with his relations 

 Raghojee and Kanojee who had been employed in performing a 

 sacrifice to fire for three years, and had cast into the furnace 

 images of Khunde Rao and of Devee, each of gold to the amount 

 of 5£ maunds. When the last hand was to be put to the ceremony 

 Kanojee had been too intimate with a dancing girl, and he accord- 

 ingly told the officiating Brahmin to complete the sacrifice with 

 the assistance of Raghojee, and to give to the latter the golden 

 images, which was accordingly done. Some time after these 

 things Raghojee first crossed the Wurda and began to plunder to 

 the eastward of that river : in consequence of which the Gond 

 Rajah of the country, Chand Sultan, opened a communication with 

 him which terminated in a mutual friendship. 



Chand Sultan's brother Akbar Shah was associated with him in 

 the Government of the countries of Deoghur and Nagpoor. Ikbal 

 Shah their first cousin by the father's side then ruled at Chanda, 



* Raghojee the second who fought against us in company with 

 Scindia at Assaye in 1803. 



t Seal and Dagger, emblems of Princely rule in India. 



