.all the buildings of the Eaft, whether Moorifh or Hindoo:
fo minutely attentive have they-been to this,, that a mafqjie at
Chunar, being tried with a cord ftretched from the fummit of
the center building*' the cord has been found to touch the .extremes.
at the outer wall that inclofes the building. During
the ulurpation of Aliverdi Cawn, his wars with the Mahrat-
tas, who were continually over-running the cpuptiy, left him
little leifure for the embellifhment of the city, however he
might have been difpofed.
. T h e road .proceeds from Moorfhedabad through the villages
of Jungepoor and Sooty, to Oodooanullah. Thi? road
is1 crofted by feveral /nullahs *, forne' of which"’have ferry
boats Rationed at them, to accommodate the traveller. At
the laft-mentioned place is a bridge, built by Sultan Sujah,
the fecond fon of the Emperor Shah Jehan"t*> who was appointed
Subah of the province of Bengal, one hundred and
thirty years ago. This is one of the moft elegant fpecimens
inarchiteCture of "thofe times ; and it- has become famous in
ours by the victory obtained over the troops of Meer Coifim,
in-, the year 1.764, by the late Major Adams. This victory
was facilitated by an accident that happened on the bridge:
* Nullahs are fmall (beams, or brooks.
t The Emperor Shah Jehan began his reign in the year 1627, and reigned
thirty-two years. He was depoied by his third foh, the famous Allumgire ;
better known in Europe by the name of Aurungz^be.
I N D I A . 21
the carriage of one ’of the,.eftemy’jv large- p^eces^f artillery
broke down;'and dropping- the retreat, threw them .into confusion.
. Oodooanullah is two miles from Rajepaahel; and
Rajemahel is-nearly eighty miles from Moorfhedabad:
on the weftem banki of ;the Gb.nges,r>which is high find bold,
and at the foot of ,a chain of Kills v -The fituatiqn- is efteemed
unhealthy, from- the-forefts in’itSi neighborhood. It was the
feat-.of thp government of Bengal, under Sultan %jah, and |t
.continued to be his residence until-hej£ell ya the,c,qnfeft;for
the empire^ with his brothert Aurungzebe.• ,i_The numhetlefs
ruins found at and in the neighbourhood,.evinced,his paflion
for building j and the great extent, of manjjpf j them affords
a proof of his Iplendor and1 magnificence., "There yet .remains
a part of the palace: which was fupported by vaft octangular
piers, raifed from the edge.of the river. The great hall yet
remains, with feme leffer apartments, as well as. the principal
gate leading.to the palace.: thefe. are furrounded by immenfe
maffes of ruiris. , This palace, in the tinje ;of JSultan Sujah,
was nearly deftroyed by fire: the zananah, or that part inhabited
by the females of his family, was totally, deftroyed.
A t r a d it io n prevails in this part of the country, that
more than three hundred woxfien fell .a facrificb; to modeily
on-this occafibn j none of them daring- to.fave themfelves,
from the apprehenfion of being feen by the men.' A t a little
diftance from Rajemahel are the ruins of a zananah, which I
went from curiofity to infpeCt, as they are, when inhabited,