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Bija 73 Bir of the tribe of Kachhwalia. He paid homage to Bahar about the year 1527 A. D., and was on friendly terms with the emperor Akbar, and had at an early period given his daughter in marriage to him, of whom was bom the emperor Jahangir. Both he and his son Kaja Bhagwan Das were admitted at the same time to a high rank in the imperial army by the emperor. Bhagwan Das gave his daughter in marriage to Jahangir in 1585 A. D., who was married next year (1586) to the daughter of Eaj a Udai Singh, son of Rao Maldeo Eathor. Bija Bai, l^^- '^'^^ or Bajl Bai, the wife of Maharaja Daulat Eao Scindhia of Gwaliar. After the death of her husband who died without issue, she elected Jhanko Eao Scindhia as his successor on the 18th June, 1827. She was expelled by him in 1833, and werrt over to Jhansi where she had a large estate. She died at Gwaliar about the middle of the year 1863. Bijaipal, d^. is^} a famous or fabulous r^ija of Bayana, regarding whose power, riches, and extent of dominion, many curious tales are still current among the Bhartpur Jats who assert their (spurious) descent from him. In the " Bijaipal Easa," a metrical romance or ballad (written in the Birj Bhakha) the Hindu scholar will find a full and particular account of this great Hindu monarch, who is fabled to have conquered raja Jumeswar, the father of Pirthi Eaj, the celebrated chauhan king of Dehli, and to have ruled despotically over the whole of India. The Karauli raja too boasts his descent from Bijaipal, and if any faith can be placed in a " BansaoK or genealogical tree," he has a fair claim to the benefits, real or imaginary, resulting therefrom. Bijai Singh., tS^'j son of raja Abhai Singh, the son of Maharaja Ajit Singh, Eathor of Jodhptir, succeeded to the raj in 1752 A. D., 1167 A. H. He became infa- tuated with fondness for a young concubine ; his chiefs rebelled, his family were in hostility with each other, and he left at his death the throne itself in dispute. Eaj a Man Singh at length succeeded, in 1804, to the honors and the feuds of Bijai Singh. Bijai Singh, *-^^ ls^> son of Eaja Bhagwan Das. Vide Eamji. Bikrami, iS^j^) the poetical name of Mir 'Abdur Eahman "Wizarat Khan, brother of Kasim Khan, the grandfather of Samsam-uddaula Shahnawaz Khan. He was promoted in the reign of the emperor 'Alamgir to the Diwani of Malwa and Bijapur. He was an excellent poet, and has left a Diwan composed in a most beautiful style. Bikramajit, '^i^^J'^.} or more properly Vikramaditya, a celebrated sovereign of Malwa and Gujrat, whose capital was Ujain. His era called the Sambat is stUl used in the north of India. Bikramajit died or ascended the throne in the Kali Jug, year 3044, according to Wilford, whose essays in the 9th and 10th volumes of the Asiatic Eesearches, contain the fullest information on the history of the three supposed princes of this name, and of their common rival Salivahana. The first Sambat year, there- fore, concurs with the year 3045 of the Kali Jug year, or 67 years before the birth of Christ. This prince was a great patron of learned men ; nine of whom at his court are called the nine gems, and are said to have been Dhan- wantari, Kshapanaka, Amera Sifiha, Sanku, Vetalabhatta, Ghatakarpara, Kalidasa, Virahamihira, and Vararuchi. Bikramajit (Eajah), "^^^ ^e-b;, ra* Eae Patr Das. A Khatre. Bilal, J the name of the crier, who used to announce to the people when Muhammad prayed. He was an African, and a freed slave of Muhammad. He died in the lime 19 of TJmar the second Khalif after Muhammad, in the year 641 A. D., 20 A. H. Bilal Kunwar, jyS Jh, the wife of the emperor 'Alamgir II, and mother of Shah 'Alam, king of Dehli'. Her title was Zinat Mahal. Bilkaini, ijH^^^, whose proper name was Abu Hafs, is the author of the works called " Mahasin-ul-Istilah," " Sharah Bukhari," and " Tarandi." He died in 1402 A. D., 805 A H. See Siraj-uddin son of Nur-uddin, and Abu Hafs-al-Bukhari. Biuai, v^f -J (Maulana), his father was a respectable architect at Hirat, the birthplace of the poet, and his takhallus or poetical name, is derived froin Bina or Banna, a builder. He is the author of a work called " Bahram- wa-Bahroz," a story which he dedicaxed to Sultan Ya'kub the son of TJzzan Hasan. His conceit had roused the jealousy of Amir Ah'sher, Binai tried to conciliate his favour by writing a Kasida in his praise, but received no reward, he therefore substituted the name of Sultan Ah- mad Mirza for that of Alisher, saying that he would not give away his daughters without dowry. Alisher was so enraged at this, that he obtained a death-warrant against him. Binai fled to Mawarunnahr. He was killed in the massacre of Shah Isma'il in 1512 A. D., 918 A. H. He has also left a Diwan consisting of 6,000 verses. Bin Ahmad, <**^' U"?, vide Abu'l Faiz Muhammad. Binakiti, ls^^^j ride Abii Sulaiman Daud. Binayek Rao (raja), jb "^i^^- the son of Amrit Eao, a Marhatta chief. He died in July 1853, aged 50 years. Bin Banana, ^lf^, surname of Abu Nasr-ibn-ul-'Aziz bin-'Amru, an Arabian poet who died at Baghdad in 1009 A. D., 400 A. H. Bindratoan, b'^^j a Hindu author who flourished in the reign of the emperor 'Alamgir, and wrote a work called " Lubb-ut-Tawarikh," a summary history of Hin- dustan. Birbal, d-^J'i-l} or Birbar, was a Brahman of the tribe of Bhat. His proper name was Mahes Das. He was a man of very lively conversation, on which account he became one of the greatest personal favorites of the emperor Akbar, who conferred on him the title of raja and the rank of 5000. He was also an excellent Hindi poet, and was honored with the title of Kabrae or the royal poet. He was slain together with Mulla Sheri and other ofiicers of note, in a battle fought against the Yusafzai Afghans of Sawad and Bijor (places between Kabul and Hindii- stiin) in February 1586 A. D., Eabi' I, 994 A. H. Akbar was for a long time inconsolable for the death of Birbal, and as the raja's body was never found, a report gained currency that he was still alive among the prisoners, and it was so much encouraged by Akbar, that a long time afterwards an impostor appeared in his name ; and as this second Birbal died before he reached the court, Akbar again wore mourning as for his friend. Many of Birbal's witty sayings are still current in India. Bir Singh, j^. ^■^L); a raja of the Bundela tribe of Eaj puts. He was the founder of this fimily, and from him the family of the TJrcha chief is descended. The greater part of his dominions was wrested from him by Eaja Chatar Sal, who was the last sole possessor of the Bundelkhand province. At that period its capital was Kalanger, but the residence of the raja was Panna, cele- brated for its diamond mines.