Report of A Tour Through The Bengal Provinces (Volume- 8)

In his account of Rajgir Mr. Beglar has broached a theory regarding the Sattapani cave, which, in my opinion, is quite untenable. believe that the only cave in these hills which has any claim to be identified with the famous Sattapani cave is the artificial cave now called Sonbhadra. This is the only one that has been regularly cut and formed with chisel, like those at Barabar. It bears also on the outside a row of socket holes, for the ends of the wooden beams of an outer apartment, which agrees with the description of the hall prepared by Alatasatru for the reception of the 500 monks who formed the first Buddhist Synod. Lastly, this cave is situated in the south face of the Baibhar mountain, exactly as described in the Pall annals of Burma.

Joseph David Freedone Melik Beglar or J.D. Beglar (1845-1907) was an American-Indian Engineer, archaeologist, and photographer working in British India and reporting to the Archaeological survey of India, known for his images of temples and religious art. He joined the Bengal Engineers and spent many years in the British Service in India.

Sir Alexander Cunningham (1818-1893). British Army Officer and archaeologist who excavated many sites in India and served as the first director of the Indian Archaeological Survey. He joined the Bengal Engineers and spent 28 years in the British Service in India retiring as major general in 1861. After his retirement from the survey (1885), he devoted himself to Indian numismatics and wrote two books on the subject. He was Knighted in 1887 and was awarded the CSI on 20 May 1870, CIE in 1878.

MR. BEGLAR began the tour described in the present volume at Patna on the Ganges, where he was led to examine the question of the ancient course of the Son river. This question he has discussed at considerable length, and with much acuteness. I have. myself lately gone over all the country to the south of Patna, when I made a searching enquiry into the subject, and the result of my investigation most amply confirms all that Mr. Beglar has advanced. He has clearly established the fact that a large river bed is traceable from Tararh (near Daudnagar) on the Son, vid Rampur-chai and Kyal to Siddhrampur and Sonbhadr on the Punpun river. Now there can be no doubt that Siddh- rampur is the same place as Siddhásrampur, which was certainly on the Son; and the name of Sonbhadr speaks for itself, as Sonabhadra is one of the well-known names of the river at the present day. The lower course of the present Panpun river was therefore the ancient course of the Son, the junction taking place at Sonbhadr. The Murhar river then joined the Son 4 miles to the west of Jahânâbâd. Both sand and boulder stones were found at Nima, on the present course of the Murhar, when digging for the foundations of a bridge between Bankipur and Jaban- Abâd. I made numerous diggings still further to the east, and at Pakaoli, Pathariya Jhil, and Kasba Patna, all to the south of the present city, I found coarse red sand and boulder stones.

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