1904.] 
183 
G. N. Dutt —History of the Hutiva Raj. 
adding another fort which is still called the “ Naya killah .” After the 
fall of Husainpur the family split into two, the elder branch in the direct 
line of Maharaja Fateh Shahi establishing at Tancobi, where they 
found the Tancohi Raj in Gorakhpur; and the younger branch, descend¬ 
ants of Babu Basant Shahi, establishing at Hutwa, founded the present 
Hutwa Raj at about 1802 A.D. The ruins of the fort Husainpur are 
still extant, and the place abounds in sites 1 of historical interest. The 
late Maharaja Sir Krishna Pratap Shahi, Bahadur, K.C.I.E., had built a 
decent bungalow on an elevated place in the “ old fort ” in front of an 
ancient archway still supporting a big banyan tree, had laid a very ex¬ 
tensive mango garden of about 100 Behar bighas on both sides of the 
road, excavated a big tank with ghat in front of the temple of Siva 
constructed by him, and re-excavated one within the fort and edified its 
bank with a masonry ghat. 
A historical tradition is associated with the name of the 95th 
Maharaja Jubraj Shahi, Bahadur. He is said to have wrested Pargana 
Seepah, which still forms a portion of: the Raj, from Raja Kabul 
Mahomed, of Barheria, who was killed in the fight. The lineal descen¬ 
dants of Raja Kabul Mahomed who are still living in the destroyed cita¬ 
del have in their family a like tradition with respect to the ruins of 
their fortune. There is a nice legend connected with this event. It is 
said that Maharaja Jubraj Shahi Bahadur was several times defeated in 
his wars with the Raja Kabul Mahomed of Barheria, who began to ex¬ 
tend his estate by encroaching on the Husainpur (Hutwa) Raj. The 
Mahomedan chief is said to have made a haughty proposal to the Maha¬ 
raja to give up two villages, Turlcaha and Bhurkaha , and to retain two 
others, Selari and Bhelari, and demanded that if the Maharaja was not 
agreeable to that settlement he would claim all the four. 8 After his 
last defeat the Maharaja was fleeing through the jungles with a hand¬ 
ful of followers, when the Goddess Bhavani appeared to him in a dream 
and complained that she was miserable under the Mahomedan rules. 
She encouraged the Maharaja to fight again with his handful of men 
and promised aid. “ The moment you commence your journey,” she 
said, “ you will see a jackal on the left and a serpent on the right, bow 
down to the former and kill the latter.” The Maharaja acted according 
1 There is a stone image of a Goddess called under a Bar tree on 
the bank of the Jharai river. The Rajas of Husainpur before going to battle used 
to worship her and present offerings. Probably is a phonetic contraction 
of meaning Goddess of assistance. 
» Thus sings the bard “ T fftT I iNlft eft?; | 
JTT«it eft JTTSft TfHt % *fk 
