Page:A Statistical Account of Bengal Vol 1 GoogleBooksID 9WEOAAAAQAAJ.pdf/131

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116
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF 24 PARGANAS.

The river affords good anchorage for country boats of any burden. The Revenue Surveyor in 1857 stated that it contained 109 houses, and an adult population of 224 souls.

Iswaripur, in Nakipur Fiscal Division, Sátkhirá Subdivision, is situated on the Jamuná river, at the point where the Kadamtalí branches off from it. Its old name was Yasohara (Jessor); and I have related, in my Statistical Account of Jessor District, how this name got transferred to the present town of Jessor. Its name, Iswarípur, is derived from a temple dedicated to Kálí, ‘the supreme goddess.’ The following legend regarding the place is quoted from Major Smyth’s Report, pp. 100-101:—‘It was the residence of a very powerful Rájá named Pratápáditya, who was looked upon as the greatest sovereign who had ever reigned in Bengal. He adorned, the seat of his Government with noble buildings, made roads, built temples, dug tanks and wells, and, in fact, did everything that a sovereign, desiring the well-being of his subjects, could do. At Iswarípur he built a temple, dedicating it to the goddess Kálí, and also a large fort, both of which are still in existence. The goddess, pleased with the zealous devotions of the Rájá, and his charity to all around, appeared to him, and, bestowing a blessing on him, said that, in consequence of his exalted piety, she would always aid him in every difficulty, and would never leave him till the Rájá himself drove her from his presence. On the strength of this, he made war on all his neighbours, and, through the goddess' protection, came off victorious in every battle, and all around acknowledged his independence. After reigning many years in peace amongst his subjects, he took it into his head that at his death the throne might be usurped by his uncle and family, setting aside the rights of his own sons. To prevent such an occurrence, he had them all assassinated. The uncle’s name was Basant Rái. An infant, the son of Basant Rái, was, however, saved from the general massacre by his mother throwing him out of the window, when he was picked up by the Rání, who carried him to her own apartments, and there brought him up unknown to the Rájá, naming him Kachu Rái. When this youth was grown up, some attendant in the palace divulged to him the secret of the massacre that had taken place in his infancy, on hearing of which he started off to Dehli to inform the Emperor Jahángír of what had happened. The Emperor, indignant on hearing of the actions of Pratápáditya, ordered him to be brought to Dehli, deputing his General Mán Sinh with an