55 
1890.] at Bhot Bagan in Howrah. 
Khodd-ta’dln or the most high God. The date of the consecration is 
given as Saipvat 1852, S'akabda 1717, Bangabda 1202, 1 * * 23rd Vaisakha, 
Sunday, within 12 dandas 8 of the Piimima. This date corresponds with 
the 3rd May 1795. 
This cursory examination of the place, and its important objects 
suggest most important enquiries such as these : what is the history and 
origin of the Buddhistic temple on the river side so near to Calcutta, 
established in the early days of the British power in India P How 
comes it that images of Hindu gods and goddesses are mixed up with 
those of Tibet and receive due worship ? Who was Puran Gir Gosain 
Mahant, claiming worship and honour from Hindus, Musalmans and 
other religionists ? 
My request to the present head of the establishment Umrao Gir 
Gosain Mahant for any papers and documents in his custody that may 
throw light on these questions, was very readily and kindly complied 
with. His presentation to the Society, at my suggestion, of two rare and 
valuable Tibetan manuscripts was noticed at the January meoting. 
He produced four Persian sanads or grants and a passport in Tibetan, 
°f which I have taken copies ; and these, with translations, in the 
annexures appear, I believe, for the first time before the public. 
Nos. I and 2 show that the former grants, free of rent, 100 bighas 
a nd 8 biswas 8 of land on the river side, made up of one portion 
situated in Mauza Barbakpur, Parganali Boro, and of another portion 
situated in Mauza Ghusari, Parganah Paikan, uuto Puran Gir Gosain, 4 * * * 
1 [The Bangabda or B. S. (Bangali Samvat) is the same as what is commonly 
known as the “ Fazli year.” See the Tables in General Sir A. Cunningham’s Book of 
Indian Eras, p. 196, Ed.] 
8 Banda, one-sixtieth of a day and night ; hence equal to 24 minutes. 
8 Biswd, lit. a twentieth part of a higha. Hence it is equivalent to a kaftha. 
* Tiiran Gir Gosain. In tho sanads, Puran is written bnt in the Bengali 
inscription ijjj-fe) Puran. I think these are vulgar readings of the Sanskrit tjur 
Pimw. Gir, of course, is the vernacular of Giri, indicating that the Gosain belonged 
to the Giri seot of the Dafandmfs, and that ho was initiated at the Jyosi Ma(h in 
the BadariknSrama, a faot which is confirmed by tho statement of the present 
Mahanta of the Bhot Bagan. It is said that tho great philosopher S'anlcaracharya, 
towards the end of the 8th century, tried to introduce reforms based on the 
doctrines of the Vedantie sohool, and for tho purpose of spreading his teachings, 
founded four ma(has in four different placeB s viz. S'nnga Giri Matha near Tunga- 
bhadra where Vyasa is said to have had his monastery, Sdrada Matha in Dwdrika 
in Gujarat, Govardhana Matha in Jagannathapurf, and Jyosf Matha in the Badarika- 
Srama, situated near the sources of the Ganges. S'ankarachdrya had at first 
four disciples and each of them had several others : 1, Padmapada who had 
two followers who received the titles of Tirtha and KSrama : 2, Hastdmalaka who had 
