298 
The Caramnassa Bridge. 
[Oct, 
the capacious interior of the demon with water, that its discharge produced a lake 
which was hence called Karman&sa. 
Under these circumstances, it is not surprising, that true believers should attri- 
bute defiling qualities to the stream, and avoid contact with it, especially after 
performing a pilgrimage of purification to Gya, Pryag , Kashi, or Jaqadti 
Many pious Hindus have accordingly conceived the laudable project of throwing a 
bridge across the river, but from the ill success attending their attempts, a super- 
stitious dread has by degrees prevailed, that some calamity would fall upon 1 1 
head of any who should undertake the hazardous task. 
Upwards of a century ago, in the reign of Aulemgir, the Subadar of the Benares 
district attempted to erect a bridge one mile to the south of the present structure, 
but failed. Some of the materials arestill to be seen in that part of the river, ou 
fiO years ago, Rai Blffira Mai, the diwan of Himat BeMdur, commenced a similar 
work very near to the present site, but with equally bad success. In 1 / 80, Ahila h 
the celebrated Marhatta princess, deputed agents to erect a bridge upon | 
spot, but probably they were engaged upon her numerous embellishments of t 
ghats at Benares until her death in 1795, as nothing seems to have been done he* 
Again during the residency of Mr. Duncan, N;ina Farnaviz, minister of t ie oon 
state, set to work in earnest upon the construction of a bridge; after labouring a 
for ten years, and expending, (according to current report 1 4 lakhs, but m rea 
between 2 and 3 lakhs, his death put a sudden stop to its prosecution, e ’ 
however, overcome the principal difficulties, which consisted in laying secure ^ 
dations in a soil formed of deep oozing sand. A vast quantity of materia s v asa 
collected, many of which were afterwards carried off by the zemindars an V1 
of the neighbourhood and used in their houses : a handsome well was erec e ^ 
a portion of them ; but this appropriation was less to be regretted, as sue i a 
is equally useful to travellers as the bridge itself. sus . 
A few years since, the Government went to the expence of erecting a r ^ 
pension bridge of 300 feet span, for the accommodation of 
dak runners : it lasted well and is still in existence ; but not laving e ^ ^ ^ 
two years, it is now considered to be dangerous. It was contemp a dt0 
to replace this rope bridge by one of iron, and a proper P er80 “ ' ob j eC t of 
examine the spot ; but this plan finally gave place to the more worthy J 
which we now announce the completion. numerous 
On the 9th June, 1829, Rai Patni Mai of Benares, well known for th ^ 
temples and ghats erected by him at Mfthura and Bindmbun, yolunte ^ 
plete the bridge commenced by NAna Farnaviz ; contrary to t ie a there . 
family, who were alarmed at the prospect of some personal calami y e 
from, and as much perhaps at the prospect of sinking a vast sum m w a ^ 
dered a fruitless project, he remained staunch ; although at the very 0U S . by Go- 
demise might have been esteemed an evil omen ; and his offer was enco o ^ ^ 
vernment, without however committing itself to any of the terms ie ^ ^ 
were, 1, permission to use the materials formerly collected ; 2 / aS Benares Coin- 
police in procuring carts, &c. ; 3, the services of the Secretary o ^ >5' 
mittee of improvements, who had furnished a design for the new g ^ tit , e of 
sion of the heavy duties on Chunar stone; and 5, a confirma ^pdbi, 
‘ Raja Behadur Ntknam ,' which had been conferred upon him by by 0 ^ : 
during Mr. Seton’s residency. The 4th boon was rendered unnece ^ y^ % 0 
a quarry expressly for the work, on the sandstone hil s, c ost 0 j t 
Nobatphr: the exactment of the duty would nearl) have 
stones, had these been brought from the Chunar quai i ies. 
