________________
MAY, 1874.)
MISCELLANEA AND CORRESPONDENCE.
149
time, Habshi Khan, and, immediately after, Mahmud Shâb, were killed by Sidi Badr Diwanah, who proclaimed himself king."
20. Shamsuddin Abul-Nasr Muzaffar Shah, who ruled 3 years and 5 months, was killed in 899 (A.D. 1494) by
21. 'Alauddin Abul Muzaffar Husain Shah, "the good," who founded the Husaini dynasty in 899. He reigned till 927, or perhaps 929.
22. Nasiruddin Abul Muzaffar Nusrat Shah ruled from 927 (929 ?) till 939 (A.D. 1532-3).
23. 'Alauddin Abul Muzaffar Firdz Shah III. son of the last, ruled only three months, and was murdered by his uncle
24. Ghiya suddin Abul Muzaffar Mah. mad Shah III., who was defeated and slain by Sher Khan in 944 A. II. (A.D. 1537-8).
MISCELLANEA AND CORRESPONDENCE. BIDÅR.
to fountains, of which there are several scattered The city of Bidar is situated at the edge of a about tho court yards. The basin of one of these laterite plateau, some 2,300 feet above the sea level, has been cut out of a single monolith of porand about 300 feet above the plain or valley of the phyry--some 12 feet in diameter and 4 feet high Manjira, a confluent of the Godavari. The city is (the design being a most intricate geometric encompassed by a wall of basalt, and a dry ditch, figure). It is highly polished. There is a humwith a glacis, which nearly hides the wall, and
måm, or Turkish bath, a mint, and an arsenal, and there are bastions at intervals, all more or less
several powder magazines; and on one of the decayed. In former times it must have been a bastions lies a monster gun, not quite so large as very formidable place to attack; as its name Bidar the one at Bijapur, but better finished. It is 19 implies, without fear.' Thro citadel is situated to
inches in bore, and 25 across the muzzle, and 23 the north: in it are the remains of numerous
feet long. It is formed of bars of laminated iron palaces, some of which were four and five stories
bound round with hoops beautifully welded and high, all built of cut trap. This citadel is a perfect
forged, the surface being well polished and labyrinth of arcades and underground passages. bronzed. There is an Arabic inscription on it, in In one building there are supposed to be over three places, in letters of gold inlaid in the 1000 rooms, filled with arms, &c. A few years iron. Here, too, there is a tradition as to its ago some of these were opened, in which some wonderful length of range. There is a breach in armour, arms, and biscuits were found. The tank bằnd distant some seven miles from Bidar entrance to the citadel is to the south-east, through which is attributed to a shot fired from this bas& zigzag passage protected by three gateways. tion with it. The gun must weigh over 20 tons. Over the gate there is a fine lofty dome, the interior The 'mystery is how, without proper engines and of which was painted in bright colours at one time, tools, such a mass of metal could have been forged. and there are patches of paint still to be seen on It has not been cast, but built on much the same the plaster. The second gateway was covered system as is now being adopted for forging with encaustic porcelain tiles. In the interior aae Woolwich infants' at home, for which special the ruins of palaces, one of which, the Rang Mahal machinery and forges have had to be made.(so called from its exterior and some of the interior Bombay Gazette, July 17. walls being covered with slabs of painted porcelain or encaustic tile), is now being partially repaired
ORIGIN OF PÅTNA. by the Nizâm's Government for the residence of To the Editor of the "Indian Antiquary." some of the civil officers. Next to this are the Sir --Long a resident of Patna, I have long remains of a very ancient paluee, one courtyard been curious to know whence this large city derived of which has been turned into a jail, the prisoners its name. In the shape of written records there being located in an arcade, and two domes forming seems to be no authentic account. But in India, a regular dungeon, and putting one in mind of as in all ancient countries, fable and tradition, Byron's description of the prison of Chillon-with whatever their value, step in to fill the gap where its horrors.
history is silent. In the present case, too, fable In one portion of this palace there is a well about has acted its part. In an old Hindi manuscript 150 feet deep, with an inelined plane from a moat, which professes to be the translation of a part of for raising the water to the fourth story, where the Sanskrit Brihat Katha, the foundation of Patna there is a reservoir from whence the water used to is thus told :be led down the front of the building over an In the Satya Yuga there lived, in a city called artificial fall forming a cascade, and also by pipes | Kosambi, a certain Brahman whose name was
