In former times it was called Pargana-i-havili. Rupees 32,000 were its revenue collections. Since the Rājah of Bīrnagar also had a force of 15,000 cavalry and infantry, and other inhabitants of that part of the Chakwār tribe, &c., were refractory and of plundering propensity, and used to annoy much the travellers, therefore on the limits of the Mūrang,* the fort* of Jalālgadah, to a distance of two karohs from Purnīah, was erected, and a com­mandant, in charge of the fort, was posted there. In compliance with the petition of Nawāb Saif Khān,* grandson of Amīr Khān the elder, who enjoyed the name and title of his father, and was descended from Syeds and illustrious Omra, and had royal con­nections, Nawāb Jāfar Khān applied to Emperor Aurangzeb for the former’s deputation, and accordingly Saif Khān was deputed for the purpose of chastising the Rājah of Bīrnagar* and other mal­contents of that part of the country. Nawāb Jāfar Khān, con­sidering the arrival of such a person to be an acquisition, conferred the office of Faujdār of Zila’ Purnīah and that of Commandant of Jalālgadāh upon him, and also settled on him the Pargana of Bīrnagar alias Dharmpūr,* and Gūndwārah, which is in the province of Behar, pertaining to Purnīah, and also the mahals of the Jāgīr forming an appendage to the office of Commandant of the above Fort. The aforesaid Khān, being appointed independent ruler of the district, after much fighting expelled Dūrjan Sīngh,* son of Bīr Shāh, the Rājah of Bīrnagar, who was disloyal and refractory, and brought the aforesaid pargana under his subjection, and having thoroughly chastised the other malcontents freed the roads from all perils. He represented the state of affairs to the Emperor, and submitted that the mahals were small, and that his stay in this mahal was unlucrative. In consequence, the Emperor Aurangzeb wrote to Jāfar Khān as follows: “I have sent to you a lion, putting him in a cage. If he does not get his food, he is certain to give you trouble.” The aforesaid Nawāb, who regarded the stay of such a person to be a boon, remitted all the outstand­ing revenue due from him, and made concession in view of the suitable maintenance of his rank and station. The above Khān, following the example of Jāfar Khān, imprisoned all the zemīndars of that district, and did not omit any means of realising the revenue. So that realising eighteen lakhs of rupees from those mahals; he appropriated them to his own use, and day by day the strength of his government and finances and of his army increased. And making peace with the zemīndars of the Mūrang, he com­menced to cut jungles and to bring them under cultivation. Bring­ing under cultivation half the wastes up to the foot of the moun­tains of the Mūrang, and placing it under his rule, he enlarged his country and his resources. And Jāfar Khān, seeing and hearing of it, used to connive. At present, Purnīah* is a large city, and the rivers Kūsī and Sūnra pass through it. Its soil is low and full of water. In the rainy season the floods rush down from the moun­tains of the Mūrang, and the fields and wastes are inundated. Much of the cultivation is consigned to destruction by the floods. Paddy, wheat, pulse and mustard-seed and other food-grains and all kinds of corn grow in abundance. And oil and turmeric and saltpetre, both of water and fire, and pepper, and large carda­mom and cassia-leaf and very large trees of ebony, are produced well there. And the flowers of jasmine and bela and the red-rose and other flowers that grow there possess exquisite scents. The mountains of the Mūrang are six days’ journey to the north of Pur­nīah. The Mūrangī wood, which is called Bahadūri, is obtained from those mountains. From the top of the mountains, the road towards Nepāl and Kashmīr is very close, but it is very undulating. Half the mahals of Purnīah pertain to the annexes of the province of Behār; but Purnīah itself is within Bengal. It is a cold coun­try and the climate of that tract is insalubrious and incongenial. Tumours of the throat in men and women generally, as well as in wild beasts and birds, are common in that country. Masonry buildings are few, excepting the Fort,* the Lāl Bāgh,* and some others. Formerly, Sarnāh was more populous than Purnīah. And Gandāh-golah (Caragola),* on the banks of the Ganges, was the resort of traders and mahajans from various places. Owing to cheapuess of food-grains and comforts, landholders and travel­lers and professional men came from every part, and dwelt there. And very often boundary. disputes led to fightings with the Rājah of the Mūrang. Saif Khān, every year, used to go to Murshidābād for visiting Nawāb Jāfar Khān. The above Nawāb used to treat him like a brother. Whenever a disturbance occurred in that district, the aforesaid Nawāb used to send troops for assistance. From Gandāhgolah (Caragola) and the banks of the Ganges to the Mūrang, the tract of Purnīah is about ten days’ journey in extent. And from the mountains of the Mūrang, a route* leads to Kuch-Behār and Assam. And the tribute of the Rājah of the Mūrang was paid in game.

This city is on the banks of the Budhīgangā, and the Ganges, named Padmā, flows three karoh or kos distant from this city. In past times it was known by this name. During the sovereignty of Nuru-d-din Muhammad Jahāngīr, the Emperor, the city was called Jahāngīrnagar. From that time till about the end of the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, this city was the Viceregal Capital of Bengal. Since the period of his Nizāmat, when Nawāb Jāfar Khān made Mūrshidābād the seat of govern­ment, the latter became the Viceregal seat. At present on behalf of the Chiefs of the English Company, there is a district officer at Jahāngīrnagar. White muslin is excellently manufactured there.

Sārkār Sunargaon is to a distance of six karoh to the south-east of Jahāngīrnagar. A species of very fine muslin is manu­factured there. And in-the Mouzā of Kathrahsūndar there is a reservoir of water; whatever clothes are washed there are turned into white linen.