________________ Some Islam c Remains in Ha jipur 385 supporting the gate structure is a square opening which was originally filled up by the stone containing the Persian inscription, now fixed up in the central outer arch of the main mosque. The slab bearing the Arabic inscription which has been thus replaced was broken into pieces. There is a big stone slab lying in the compound of the mosque giving faint indication of something originally written in Sanskrit. It is said to represent the stone bearing the Hindi ipseription and fixed in original in the first of the three gates. The cornices of the existing gateway are similar to the various ornamented cornices found in the chambers of the prayerhall of the mosque. There is also the same bracket and the drip stone. One of the pillars on the south-east corner of the main gateway has disappeared while that on the northern side exactly parallel is still extant though the upper portion of this one has tumbled down. The front verandab of the mosque measures 39'6" by 26. The wall of the prayer chamber is 7' 3" thick. The mosque is an imposing all-stone three-domed building consisting of a big prayer hall measuring 71' 10" by 20'2". The ball is divided into three compartments supported by vaulted arches and lateral walls. The main mehrab where the Imam stands has got an arched recess with a papel in front decorated with flora designs. The pulpit by the side of the central internal arch contains a small arched chamber approached by three stone steps and supported by four stone pillars. The base and capital of the two pillars on the south are decorated with floral designs. There are niches on either side of the central mehrab as also on the sides of the two other mehrabs. The pendentive has brackets and double false arches in all the chambers. There are latticed arched windows on the north and on the south giving light and air. The central arch entrance and in fact the whole structure with two pillars appears to have been a renovation. The domes on the sides are octagonal while that in the middle has twelve corners. The whole building is enclosed by a brick wall. Quite close to the road from Jaruha to Hajipur lies the structure known as the Bawan Hazari Chabutra. Its name is explained in various ways. Some say that it was built by a noble whose income was Rs. 52000/-. Others say that it belonged to a Sardar who held mansab of 52000 horse (the rank did not exist at all). Still others assert that Rs. 52000/- were spent in building the house of which only the Chabutra is extant pow. All these are legends and find no corroboration in any historical texts, Another antiquity of considerable repute is the Kauriba Kuan. It is a very old well and has got recesses inside. An inscriptional stone 49
