Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/40

32 NIH-NIM this jhil is a picturesque grove of old trees in which is a small brick enclosure dedicated to Mahadeo, to whom offerings are made at this festival, and amongst other observances milk is poured into a small hole in the ground probably to the special honour of the snake. Near the grove is a. small hamlet of Ahírs. NIHÁLGARE CHAK JANGLA- Pargana JAGDISPUR-Tahsil MUSAFIR- KHANA-District SULTANPUR.---This village stands 36 miles west of the Sadr Sultanpur on both sides of the Lucknow-Sultanpur road. The vil- lage Sathan lies six miles north of this. It was founded 150 years ago by Raja Nihal Khan, the ancestor of the husband of Ráni Sádha Bibi, taluq- dar of Mahona in this district, on the land of the village Chak jangla whence the village derived its name. The mud-built castle, built by Rája Nihál Khan, was occupied by the tahsildar who resided here up to annex- ation, but it has been razed since. This village has a police station, and there is also a Government school. There are 562 mud-built houses, and only one brick-built belonging to Bálmukand, a banker of the Agar- wála Banián caste, who has acquired the zamindari right in some villages by mortgage and sale deeds. By the census of 1869, the population amounts to 2,593; of these there are 1,292 males and 1,301 females. There are three small brick-built Hindu teinples. The bazar of this town contains some shops of Thatheras (braziers) besides those of the ordinary dealers in articles of food and clothing. NIMKHÁR OR NÍMS AR*_Pargana MISRIKH --Tahsil MISRIKH - Dis- trict SITAPUR.- This town is 20 miles from Sitapur, and lies on the left bank of the Gumti at the junction of the Khairabad and Sitapur roads in latitude 27° 26' north, longitude 80°35' east. A third road connects it witalı Hardoi, and there is good water communication afforded by the Gumti, which flows down through Lucknow, Sultanpur, and Jaunpur, to the Ganges. It is unbridged here. The town is famous for its sacred tanks, and the traditions connected with them, to treat of which would be out of place here. Suffice it to say that its origin is buried in remote antiquity, and no trace remains of the original founders, who they were or whence they came. The name is derived either from "nawa saranga," the forest of holiness, or from nímas, which bears locally the meaning of the holder of the discus: because it is said that Brahma flung a discus into the air bidding people to deem holy the place where it fell. It is a poor place with but 2,307 inhabitants, who are mostly Brahmans and their dependents. A bazar is held on Tuesdays and Fridays, the annual sales being but Rs. 18,540 in value. The tanks and temples are numerous ; of the former those called the Panch Parág (containing the water of five holy places), the Chakr Tírath, wherein thousands of people attend to bathe on Sombári Amáwashyás, the Godkori, the Káshi, the Gangotri, the Gumti, &c., are very famous. The temple of Lálta Debi has widespread celebrity. There is but one mosque. There are the pakka remains, bricks, and blocks of limestone, of the old Government fort, the residence of an ámil under the native regime. By Mr. M. L. Ferrar, B.A., C..., Assistant Commissioner.