68 
ON THE OEIGINAL INHABITANTS 
by a Bhar Raja called Bara, while the foundation of Bdra 
Banki is associated with J as, another Bhar Raja. The Linga 
on the top of the Bdrabdr hill near Gaya was according to 
local tradition placed there by a Bar Raja, whose combats 
with Krsna are even now remembered by the people.^' This is 
most probably an allusion to the Asura Bdna, the son of Bali. 
The Bdrhapdra pargana is still populated with aboriginal 
Bhars. The pargana Bhddohl or Bhdrdohi is called after 
them, and the name of the town of Bharaich is also derived 
from their name.^* 
Traces of the former supremacy of the Bhars are found 
scattered all over the country. Most of the stone erections, 
fortifications, as well as the embankments, and the subterranean 
caves in Gorakhpur, Azimgarh, Janpur, Benares, Mirzapur, 
and Allahabad are ascribed to them. Such forts generally 
go now by the name of Bhdr-d'ih. The grand ruins known 
as those of Pampapura in the neighbourhood of the modem 
town of Bhartipur (near the Bhar capital, Kusbhawanpur alias Sultanpur), 
are all believed to derive their names from the Bhars . . Sleeman also mentions 
a large district of nearlj^ a thousand villages near Mahamdi, which even in 
his day was known as Bharwara, now occupied by Ahban RajpOts."' Com- 
pare Bengal Asiatic Journal, vol. 46, pp. 227 and 228 : '• The former presence 
of the Bhars in the Hamirpur District is attested by the traditions, which 
will be presently described, and by local names in every pargana. A few 
examples of such names out of many may be of interest ; thus the old 
name of the town of Sumerpur i^in Parg. Sumerpur) is Bharua, and in the 
parganas of Maudha, Panwari-Jaitpur, Jalalpur, and Rath, respectively, 
we find localities named Bharsawan, Bharwara, Bharkhari or Barkhari, and 
Bhanraura Kera, and in several of these cases the e^-idence of the name is 
confirmed by that of tradition." With respect to Baragaon Genl. Sir A. 
Cunningham {Archmological Survey of India, vol. I, p. 2S) says: " By the 
Brahmans these ruins (of Baragaon) are said to be the ruins of Kundilpur 
. .1 doiibt the truth of this Brahmanical tradition, more especially as I can 
show beyond all doubt that the remains at Barag-aon are the ruinfl of Nalanda, 
the most famous seat of Buddhist learning in all India." 
^' About Barabar compare Arch. Surrey of India, vol. I, pp. 40-53. 
Sir A. Cunningham derives the name from " bara and awara. or Barawara, 
the great enclosure (see p. 43)," as there was an enclosure on the SiddheSvara 
hill. See ibidem, vol. VIII, pp. 35-37. 
^8 Genl. Sir A. Cunningham identifies the Bardaotis of Ptolemy with 
Bharhut. See Arch. Survey of India, IX, pp. 2-4 and XXI, p. 92. 
Compai'e also Bengal Asiatic Journal, vol. XVI, pp. 401-416. 
