130 NADIYA. Káliganj and Nadiya, the latter of which, although the ancient capital of the District, is now of less importance as regards trade than the former. (2) On the Húgli—Santipur and Chagdah, the latter also a station on the Eastern Bengal Railway. (3) On the Jalangi-Karimpur, Cháprá, Krishnagar, and Swarúpganj. (4) On the MátábhángáMunshiganj, Krishnaganj, and Dámurhuda. (5) On the ChurníHánskhálí and Ránághát, the latter also a railway station. (6) On the Ichhámatí — Nonaganj, Bángáon, and Gopálnagar. (7) On the Pangásí or Kumár-Alamdángá, also a railway station. (8) On the Padma-Kushtiá, also a railway station. Leopards and wild hog are plentiful in the District, with an occasional tiger, snipe and wild duck are numerous in the Swamps. Snakes abound; the number of deaths from snake-bite being about five hundred per annum, besides about fifty other deaths annually from wild animals. The river fisheries form an important item in the wealth of the District, and there is hardly a single town or large village without a number of fisher-families. Fishing as an occupation is carried on upon a large scale in the Padmá near Kushtia, whence an almost daily exportation of hilsá and other fish takes place by rail to Calcutta, commencing at the end of the rainy season, and lasting till the end of the cold season. History. The family of the Nadiyá Rájás is one of great antiquity and sanctity. They trace descent in a direct line from Bhattanáráyan, the chief of the five Brahmans imported from Kanauj by Adisur, King of Bengal. As, moreover, the family has figured somewhat conspicuously in history, their annals are more interesting than usual. The most celebrated of the line was Mahárajá Krishna Chandra, who came to the gadi in 1728, and is described as the Mæcenas of his tine-a munificent patron of letters, whose delight it was to entertain and converse with distinguished pandits, and who lost no opportunity of bestowing gifts of money and land upon men of learning and piety. So famous was his bounty that there is a Bengalí proverb still current, that he who docs not possess a gift from Krishna Chandra cannot be a genuine Brahman. At the time when Siraj-ud-daulá was in arms against us, Krishna Chandra took the part of the English; and in recognition of his services, Lord Clivc conferred on him the title of Rájendra Bahadur, and presented him with 12 guns uscd at Plasscy, which are still to be seen in the palace. The successors of Krishna Chandra inherited, as a rule, his love of letters, and men of piety and learning have always been received with favour at the Nadiya Court , so that the town and District have gradually acquired great fame as the home of philosophers and pandits. The town is also rcgarded as peculiarly sacred, being the birthplace of Chaitanya, the great Vaishnav rcformer, in whose honour a festival
