=====================+=========+==============+========
District. | Hindus. | Muhammadans. | Total.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~
Dehra Dûn | | 39 | 39
Sahâranpur | 37 | 443 | 480
Muzaffarnagar | 80 | 343 | 423
Meerut | 180 | | 180
Bulandshahr | 3,482 | 2,455 | 5,937
Aligarh | 5 | 576 | 581
Mathura | | 49 | 49
Agra | | 1 | 1
Farrukhâbâd | 10 | 1,177 | 1,187
Mainpuri | | 8 | 8
Etah | 80 | 2,671 | 2,751
Bareilly | | 3,762 | 3,762
Budâun | 587 | | 587
Morâdâbâd | | 514 | 514
Shâhjahânpur | 33 | | 33
Cawnpur | | 25 | 25
Allahâbâd | | 41 | 41
Ghâzipur | | 854 | 854
Gorakhpur | 125 | 66 | 191
Azamgarh | | 25 | 25
Tarâi | | 86 | 86
Lucknow | | 75 | 75
Unâo | | 112 | 112
Sîtapur | | 10 | 10
Hardoi | | 198 | 198
Kher | | 195 | 195
Faizâbâd | | 2 | 2
Gonda | | 34 | 34
Bahrâich | | 267 | 267
Sultânpur | | 137 | 137
Partâbgarh | | 1,652 | 1,652
Bârabanki | | 1,353 | 1,353
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~
Total | 4,619 | 17,170 | 21,789
=====================+=========+==============+========
Bhikha Sâhib.—A sect among the Râjputs of Ballia, of which the
following account is given in the District Gazetteer:—“There was a
devotee in Delhi whose name was Shâh Muhammad Yâri. In his time a
certain zamîndâr of Bhirkura, named Mardan Sinh, was arrested for
default of payment of revenue, and sent by the Viceroy (Sûbahdâr) to
Delhi, where he was imprisoned. A servant, who had attended Mardan
Sinh, paid visits in his leisure hours to Muhammad Yâri Shâh. One day
the devotee enquired what he was and where he lived. On this the
servant narrated the circumstances of his master’s imprisonment and of
his own presence there.
“‘Go and tell your master,’ said the devotee, ‘that he will be set free
to-morrow by the order of the Minister of State, and that he should
then present himself to me.’ Mardan Sinh was actually released the next
day, and, as directed, attended on Muhammad Yâri Shâh. After several
days’ attendance and devotion, the devotee expressed himself satisfied,
and directed Mardan Sinh to proceed to his own country, and there
worship the Âtma, and show mercy to the poor and hungry.
2. “He also gave him a seli or necklace of black silk, worn as a
distinguishing mark by the Chief, who sits on the cushion (gaddi) when
he has occasion to go to his disciples. Mardan Sinh was further
instructed by Muhammad Yâri Shâh to observe the following ceremony. At
the time of making a disciple, a kanthi, or sacred garland, is to be
put round his neck, and the disciple is enjoined to repeat constantly
the invocation Râm! Râm! and never to take life or tyrannize over any
one. Mardan Sinh on his return to Bhirkura made one Bhikha his
disciple, and the latter finally settled in Baragâon. This happened
some four hundred years ago, and the Bhikha Sâhib gaddi or seat was
thus founded. It may be noticed in regard to the above account that a
Muhammadan Faqîr is represented as enjoining the repetition of the
strictly Hindu formula Râm! Râm! If the legend is a correct statement
of fact, the circumstance is an interesting illustration of the partial
amalgamation of Muhammadan and Hindu forms, which we know is the aim of
some of the Vaishnava reformers.”