999 
— 0 
1873.] H. Blochmann— Geography and History of Bengal. 
jagirdars, before and after the time of Slier Shah, as a standing militia 
against the inroads of the tribes of Jhark’hand (Chutia Nagpur), led to the 
formation of the great Muhammadan zammdari of Birhhum, which gave the 
E. I. Company some trouble. 
In Todar Mall’s rent-roll the following Mahalls are]mentioned along 
this portion of the western frontier of Bengal—Ag Mahall (Itaj mail all), 
Kankjol, Kunwar Partab, Molesar,* in Sirkar Audambar or Tandali; 
Bharkundah, AkbarshaM, Katangah, in Sharifabad (Birhhum) ; Nagor, 
Sainbhum, Sliergarh (Raniganj), Champanagari (N. W. of the town of 
Bardwan), Madaran (Jahanabad and Chandrakona, west of Hugh), Chittua 
(District Medinipur), and Mandalg’hat, at the mouth of the Rupnarayan, all 
belonging to Sirkar Madaran. 
The name of the frontier mahall of B h a r k u n d a h in Birhhum, men¬ 
tioned above, seems to have been formerly extended to the whole of Birhhum 
and the Santal Parganalis. In this extended sense, it is used in the Tarilch i 
JDaudif on De Barros’ map of Bengal, and on Blaev’s map of India (vide 
PL IY). In the latter, it is only given as c Barcunda,’ but in the former as 
‘ Reino de Barcunda,’ extending from Ferrandus (a corruption of Bardwan) 
to Gorij, in which we recognize Garhi, the £ key of Bengal.’ West of 
Barcunda, De Blaev and De Barros give ‘ Patanes,’ i. e . the Pathans, 
the military and semi-independent landholders of the western Bengal 
frontier. On the Ganges, both maps shew Gouro (Gaur), and opposite to it, 
‘ Para’, for which De Barros gives £ Rara.’J Both spellings may be mistakes 
for Tara, i. e. Tandah, which should of course be on the other side o± J the 
river; or £ Rara’ stands for the old Hindu division of Radha, which there 
commences. South of £ Ferrandus,’ the old maps give ‘Mandaram’ and 
4 C o s p e t i r,’ which latter name is wrongly placed on Blaev’s map north of 
Mandaram, whilst De Barros has it correctly west of it. In Mandaram we 
recognize Madaran, the chief town of Sirkar Madaran, a name which even 
now-a-days is pronounced by the peasants Mandaran.§ £ Cospetir,’ or De 
No. II.) places a * Laearacoond,’ in conspicuous letters, south of Nagor j but modern 
maps give no such locality. Could this be the Lak’hnur of the Tabaqat ? 
* Sdbiq ( i . e. former) Molesar and Darin Molesar. The former name is wrong 
spelt in the Indian Atlas (Sheet 113) Sarik Molisser. 
f Dowson, Elliot’s History of India, IY., pp. 360, 364. 
J South of Para or Rara, Blaev and De Barros give a place of the name of 
Moulauadangur; and below Gouro, Patana or Patona, and Meneitipur, which I have 
not identified. 
§ I have identified Madaran with Bliitargarh in Jahanabad, in the north-western 
corner of Hugh District. Vide Proceedings, As. Socy. Bengal, for April, 1870, where 
the legends of the place are given. 
As the name of Jahanabad occurs in the Akbarnamah, it lias no connexion with 
Shahjahan’s name, but refers more likely to one of the numerous Khan Julians of 
the Patlian rule. 
