Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/139

This page has been validated.
IN THE BENGAL PROVINCES, 1872-73.
115

should be a warning to officers to be careful in removing inscriptions and statues, &c. That Captain Kittoe gave orders for its being sent back to Afsand, there can be no doubt; but he did not take sufficient care to see his orders obeyed, and this is only too common a fault,—so common as to be almost a national fault. I refer to Captain Kittoe’s original paper in the Asiatic Society’s Journal for an account of the remains at Afsand, to which I can add little.

SATGAON.

Satgaon is a small village near the Sakri, south of the Kauwa Kal Hills; the place enjoys some local reputation, and is said to possess some old temples. I did not see the place.

EKTÂRA.

Ektâra is a small place of pilgrimage situated in the wild Rajauli Hills at the source of the Dhanarjeh river which flows past Rajauli; here is a very picturesque waterfall and a small rock cell; not far from here I see "rock temples" marked in the Indian Atlas sheet, but my enquiries for them were vain.

RAJAULI.

The wild hills of Rajauli are in their way deserving of mention; the seven Rishis are said to have lived on them, and particular peaks are named after one or other of the saints; of these the most interesting is Singar Peak, so named from Sringi Rishi; there is a rough stone platform on the top with some shapeless boulders as objects of worship; a fair is held annually at the foot, and devotees toil up the steep ascent to the top to pay their devotions.

A fair is held annually also at Ektâra, at the Mahabar hill near Satgaon.

ROH.

Roh is a largish village, which has an old mound; here are several statues, and the mound contains old bricks; close to it is an old well, into which an inscribed slab found here is said to have been thrown. When I heard this, I tried to get the well examined by divers, but there was then too much water in it, and it could not be done. If an inscription is really at the bottom, it is quite safe there, and can be laid hold of at any time.