1889.] Asutosh Gupta — Ruins and A ntiquities of Edmpdl. 21 



Ganga, there are still many ruins to show that the Pal kings reigned in 

 that part of Bengal, and it is a historical fact that they flourished both 

 before and after the Sen dynasty. But as they were Buddhists ruling 

 over a population, the mass of which were Hindus, their names have not 

 been handed down to posterity with that halo of glory which surrounds tho 

 Sen kings, who were orthodox Hindus and great patoons of Brahmans 

 and Brahmanical learning. Again, it is a well known fact that one of 

 the characteristics of the Pal kings was to excavate large lakes and tanks 

 wherever they lived. The Mahipal Dighi, still existing in Dinajpur, 

 is perhaps the largest lake they cut in Bengal. For all these reasons I 

 am of opinion that the prince who gave his name to the city and lake 

 of Rampal was a king of the Pal dynasty. 



There is another but smaller lake in Rampal. It is called the 

 Kodal-dhod (the spade-washing) Dighi. It is about 700 cubits by 500 

 cubits, and is still very deep. Tradition has it that when the excavation 

 of the Rampal Dighi was over, each digger scooped out a spadeful of 

 earth from a place close by, and thus the Kodal-dhoa Dighi was made. 

 The story of course is fiction pure and simple, invented to show that 

 myriads of men were engaged to excavate the Rampal Dighi. 



The next object of interest is Bari Ballal Sen or Ballal Sen's 

 palace. It is a very large and high mound of earth, surrounded by 

 a deep moat, about 400 yards by S00 yards. No architectural re- 

 mains are visible. The cicerones point to a large black pit inside 

 the ruins as the Agnikunda or funeral pyre in which perished Ballal 

 Sen and his family. 



Another object of interest in Rampal is the everlasting Gajariya tree. 

 It is a large living tree standing on the north bank of Rampal Dighi. 

 It is about 100 cubits high and has two large straight stems. Trees of 

 this species abound in this part of Bengal, and there is nothing peculiar 

 in its appearance : only it shows no signs of age or decay, though it is 

 undoubtedly very old. It is said to be immortal and existing from the 

 time of Ballal Sen. Respectable men of seventy and eighty years of 

 age, whose testimony I am unable to disbelieve, have told me that they 

 saw the tree in its present state of growth from their very boyhood. 

 The tree is certainly a botanical curiosity. It is held in high veneration 

 by the Hindus, and various stories are current about its virtues and 

 sanctity. It is worshiped by the women, particularly by the barren 

 ones, who besmear it with oil and vermilion in hopes of being cured of 

 barrenness. A faqir is said to have violated its sanctity by cutting a 

 root, but he instantly vomited blood and died. No one would uow ven- 

 ture to tear a leaf or lop off a branch. A small fair is annually held 

 under the sacred tree on the eighth day of the moon in the month of 



