BIL
S12
The "tila," round which lies the older portion of the town, seems to hare been originally a high bluff on the edge of the eastern bank of the Ganges. Its natural height has been increased by successive strata of debris of the habitations of probably Bhils (an aboriginal tribe), Thatheras, Raikwars, Shekhs, and Sayyads.
In no town that I have yet seen are blocks of hewn kankar, relics of temples and palaces of the past, so frequent. There is reason to believe that they are the remains of the old town of Srinagar (see Bilgram pargana), its fort, temple, and tank called Sagar.
Six years ago, on the traditional site of Raja Sri's tank Sagar, in the Haidarabad muhalla, a flight of hewn kankar steps was found under a deposit of mud and rubbish. These blocks were speedily used up for building purposes. Everywhere such blocks are to be traced in the foundations and lower courses of mosques and houses, in wells, and at door steps many of them are grooved, showing that they have been taken from some older This tank Sagar gives its name to a portion of the town Ijdng building. at the foot of the high mound, or " tila," on which stood Raja Sri's fort, and between it and muhalla Maid^npura. This quarter (Maiddjipura) seems to have been founded on a flat piece of land (maidan) left by the
recession of the Ganges.
The town abounds with fragments of carved stone bas-reliefs, pillars, and Hindu temples. The best of these are to be found at the shrine of Gudar Nath in Lamkania Tola, the Brahmans' quarter lying to the north of the fort, round a mound (khera) attributed to the Thatheras^ capitals of old
and on which
traces of their smelting-houses are stiU to be seen.
Along the ridge that separates the Haidarabad and Maidanplira muhallas remnants of boats are found from time to time in sinking wells. A little saltpetre is manufactured in Qazipura. There is no indigo manufactory.
The main
Government tahsil and th^na the school, on the remains of Raja Sri Ram's fort a sarae Principal buddings. -^^ g^^,^ ^^^^^^ ^^. j^ g^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^ Hakim Mehndi Ali Khan, the celebrated farmer (ijaradar) of the Muhamdi and Khairabad districts from 1804 to 1819 (the water of the sarae well is bad and brackish) an imambara and two mosques built by the same officer, and eight other imambaras and mosques built within the last 90 years. buildings are the
built
There are some old masonry wells two, the " Sahjan" and the " Tarli," There are two of Akbar's time and three built two hundred years ago. Both were built by Hakim Mehndi Ali Khan, bazars, the Bari and Chhoti. nazim in the reign of Ghazi-ud-din Haidar. He, too, built Kifayatganj, now an extensive grain mart, a mile and a half to the south of Bilgrdm. Market days at Kifayatganj are Tuesdays and Fridays. Wheat and barley are despatched from it in large quantities to Kanauj, Farukhabad, and Cawnpore. The most noteworthy things made and sold at Bilgram are the brass pan-boxes (gilauridans) made by Hulas and Manr^khan, Lohfc, " laddu," sweetmeats, and the shoes made by Mendu.
