242 
E. A. Gait— Some Notes on Jaintia History. 
[No. 3, 
Some Notes on Jaintia History .— By E. A. Gait, I.C.S, 
(With Plate XXIY) 
[Read July, 1895.] 
Although Jaintia was an independent state up to 1835 A.D., its 
past history is almost a blank, and we know nothing of the causes 
which united the Syntengs under one ruler, while their neighbours and 
close congeners, the Khasis, preserved a democratic constitution, and 
remained split up into numerous petty states, nor of how the kings came 
under Hindu influence and eventually left the hills and settled down 
at Jaintiapur in the plains tract north of the Surma river. Neither 
is it known how the tract in question, which contains a numerous 
Musalman population and extends to within a few miles of Sylhet town, 
came into their possession. 
This piece of country, which is now known as the Jaintia parganas 
and forms part of the Sylhet district, is at the present time being re¬ 
settled under my supervision, and the opportunity has been taken to 
piece together the few items of information regarding its ancient his¬ 
tory which could be collected. 
The materials which have been gathered are, however, very scanty; 
they consist of (1) traditions, (2) inscriptions on coins, (3) inscrip¬ 
tions on copper-plates (land grants), and (4) references in the buranjis 
of the Ahoms and in the Varrigavali of Laksmi-narayana. 1 The infor¬ 
mation under the first three heads has been obtained chiefly by Babu 
Giris Candra Das, Assistant Settlement Officer, who has shown much 
industry and perseverance in pursuing his enquiries in the directions 
indicated to him. 
Coins. 
That the kings of Jaintia had a mint at an early date is shown by 
the statement in the Vamgdvall of Laksmi-narayana to the effect that 
1 Bee paper on the Koch Kings of Kamarupa.— J. A. S. B 1893, p. 268. 
