1904.] Abdul Wali— Antiquity and Traditions of Shahzadyur. 267 
having an underground base of 4 ft. 6 in. The jambs of the doors 
are constructed of black basalt. Over the pulpit, and on the outer 
walls of the temple, are sculptured beautiful arabesques, consisting of 
foliage, fruits and other parts of the plant. Lengthwise on both sides 
of the walls there are half a dozen small false panellings made in 
plaster. 
5.— The Waqf Estate. 
The Shahzadpur mosque is endowed with 722 bighas of rent-free 
lands held direct from Government by trustees or mutaivallis —who are 
descended, as stated above, from Khwaja Shah Nur and the Sonargaon 
Princess. Of these lands only 15 khadas are set apart for the service 
of the temple. The remaining lands were given away to the original 
settlers, many of whose descendants still enjoy lakhiraj, madad-i-ma‘ash 
and other kinds of tenures 1 . 
There is a piece of stone upon which are inscribed certain figures 
(Plate No. ) which I could not decipher. 
6.—The Fair. 
A mela or fair is held every year, close to the masjid—from the end 
of Cait to the beginning of Baisakh (April—May) which lasts for about 
a month. It is visited by Hindus and Muhammadans from far and 
near. The offerings consist of rice, fowls, sugar, and sweets, also pices 
for the ciraghi, for the fulfilment of their desires. The m§la is visited 
by about seven thousand people. 
The species of the Bokhara pigeons—given by Shah Jalalu-d-Din 
Bokhari and called after him Jalali kabutar—still survive, and can be 
seen in the precincts of the Shahzadpur mosque as well as in the 
neighbouring villages. 
7.— Notes. 
The above is a complete review of the past traditions and the 
present state of the mosque and tombs of Shahzadpur. The former 
raises the following issues: (I) Was Bengal colonized as long ago as 
the first century of the Hijri Era by the Arabs ? (2) Who was the 
Makhdum Saljub and his followers ? 
Shahzadpur of the present is not in many respects the Shahzadpur 
of the past. Yet it tells the tales of a distant and dismal past—by its 
mosque and tombs. The site of a bloody battle-field is indicated by the 
1 Makhdum Sahib was a Muhammadan prince, who came to Bengal ... and was 
allowed to colonize Yusufshahi, then an uninhabited jungle ... Four sharers now 
hold the land, each of whom is honoured with the affix of * Sahib, ’ while the 
Senior sharer ... is well-known as an influential zamindar.—Hunter’s Statistical 
Account of Pabna, pp. 315-16. 
