Bausi
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Bausi
Village in the Banka subdivision of Bhagalpur District, Bengal, situated in 24° 48' N. and 87° 2' E., near the base of Mandar- Giri. Population (1901), 649. The numerous buildings, tanks, large wells, and stone figures found for a mile or two round the base of the hill show that a great city must once have stood here. The people of the neighbourhood say that it contained 52 markets, 53 streets, and 88 tanks. According to local tradition, a large building, the ruins of which still exist, and the walls of which contain an immense number of small holes, evidently intended to hold chinlgs, or small native lamps, was formerly illuminated on the night of the Dewali festival by a hunared thousand of these lights, each householder being allowed to supply only one. How or when the city fell into ruin is not known, though popular tradition ascribes its destruction to Kala Pahar. A Sanskrit inscription on a stone triumphal arch seems to show that the city was in existence less than 300 years ago. After the destruction of the temple of Madhusudan on Mandargiri hill, the image of the god was brought to Bausi, where it now remains. Once a year, on the Paus Sankranti day, the image is carried from Bausi to the foot of the hill. and is swung on the triumphal arch. About 50,000 pilgrims assemble from all parts of the country, in order to bathe in the sacred tank at the foot of the hill, and a fair is held which lasts for fifteen days.
