104 C. A. Silberrad— History of Western Bundelkhand. [No. 2, 
Pancham, a division wliicTi not unnaturally caused ill-feeling between 
Panckam and liis elder brothers, with the result that on the death of 
the Raja in 1170 Pancham was expelled and his dominion equally 
divided among the four brothers. 
On the loss of his kingdom and wealth, he was in great distress, 
and he went to Bindhachal, 1 where on the first of Sawan Sambat 1228 
(1171 A.D.) in order to gain a victory over his brothers and recover his 
kingdom he practised the most severe asceticism in honour of the 
goddess Bindliasni or Durga. For several days lie took neither food 
nor water and continually chanted prayers; but without avail, on the 
eighth day, however, he sat within a circle of fire and on the ninth day 
standing on one leg prayed to the goddess, but still without avail. On 
the last day he resolved to offer his head to the goddess as a sacrifice, 
but before this consummation was reached the goddess cried: “ Thou 
wilt enjoy the happiness of a King.” Pancham asked her to appear 
before him end to give him some sign that he would defeat his brothers 
and regain his kingdom. The goddess gave no answer. Pancham 
resumed his religious chants, took his sword and tried to cut his throat, 
but the goddess thereupon appeared and cried: “ Victory, Victory, Thou 
wilt be victorious and become Raja of a kingdom, and thy descendants 
will rule over Central India.” When Pancham was about to behead 
himself and the goddess saw that a drop of blood fell from the cut to 
the ground, she cried : “ Budit or Bundela (a drop) ” and blessed him 
saying that his descendants would be called Bundelas hereafter, and 
then disappeared, Pancham collected a force, defeated his brothers, 
seized the kingdom and made Benares his Eastern Capital. The 
descendants of Pancham’s four brothers are still called Gahrwar 
Thakurs. 
Pancham was blessed with a son and according to the direction of 
the goddess, named him Bir-Bundela. It is said that during the reign 
of Bir Bundela, Shahab-ud-din Ghori invaded India and decisively 
defeated Jai Chand Raja of Kanouj about 1195. Munshi Krishn Narain 
mentions in his book that in compliance with the orders of his father 
Bir Bundela fought a battle with Tatar Khan Afghan, in which 72 
officers of the Khan’s force were wounded; Bir Bundela himself shot 
300 men with his own bow. This defeat actually stopped the Khan’s 
further advance. It may therefore be inferred that it was in the time 
of Pancham that Shahab-ud-din Ghori conquered India. 
In 1214 Bir Bundela ascended the throne on the death of his father, 
who had reigued 49 years. He was able to extend his sway over several 
neighbouring kingdoms to the West, North and South. In 1231 he 
1 The famous shrine five miles West of Mirzapur. 
