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1874.] J. Wise —On the Barah Bhuyas of Eastern Bengal. 
that money could not be safely transported to Bengal, and was therefore 
useless to him, but that if his majesty would bestow on him the parganah 
of Bhowal, his gratitude would be complete. At once the grant was made 
out, but a difficulty arose as to the name of the heir who was to succeed 
him. Although unmarried, the saint informed the monarch that he, 
Kar-farma Sahib, would have eighteen sons and daughters before he died, 
and that his eldest son and heir would be known as the Bara Ghazi. In 
his name, therefore, the deed was drawn up. 
Kar-farma Sahib returned to Bhowal, and settled at Chaura, near 
Kaliganj on the Lak’hiya, where the family has ever since resided. 
The seventh in descent was Mahtab Grliazi, who succeeded his brother 
Bahadur Ghazi in default of children. Either he or his son Fazl Ghazi,* 
was Bliuya, when the armies of Akbar entered Bengal. 
According to tradition, the principality ruled over by this family 
consisted of the parganahs now called Chand-Pratap, then Cliand Ghazi, 
Talibabadf or Tala Ghazi ; and Bhowal, or Bara Ghazi. 
The present representatives of this family possess several old records ; 
but their authenticity is doubtful. The first purports to be an order from 
Shall Shuja’ to “ Madar ul-Mahamm Islam Khan,” informing him that 
Daulat Ghazi was to be recognized as heir. A second fixes the revenue to 
be paid by Bhowal at Rupees 48,300 a year. 
For a century nothing is known of the family except the names of the 
successive inheritors of the estates. The anarchy that broke out on the 
death of Aurangzib found the Ghazis neglectful of their zamindari affairs 
and entrusting the entire management to Bengali servants. These unscrupu¬ 
lous men dispossessed the family, and shared the plunder among themselves. 
Sultan Ghazi, in 1779, petitioned Lord Cornwallis to have his property 
restored, but in vain. His descendants still reside at their ancestral seat, 
objects of pity to every Muhammadan around, and hold possession of a few 
acres of “ jibika,” or charity lands, in the neighbourhood. 
At Chaura are still shown the tombs of Pahlawan Shah and Kar-farma 
Sahib. Beside the latter is an old ruined mosque, without any inscription, 
and a tank of vast dimensions. About a mile to the west is a carefully 
preserved tomb of one Bayazid Ghazi. It is surrounded by a wall, and at a 
little distance are the indistinct outlines of a fort. Close to this is a dried 
up water-course, known as “ Kosah K’hali,” where the war-boats of the 
family lay. Close to the river Lak’hiya, near the modern village of 
Baligaon, stood a very handsome mosque, built by Bahadur Ghazi, the 
* Rouse gives the name of this Bhuya as Jona Ghazi; hut no such name is known 
among Muhammadans. The prophet Jonah is known as “ Yunas.” 
f In the Dhaka collectorate records this parganah is written Talipabad, for Talibabad, 
Jib, 
w • n 
