Kaman
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.
Kaman
Head-quarters of a tahsil of the same name in the State of Bharatpur, Rajputana, situated in 27 degree 39' N. andegree 77 degree 16' E., about 36 miles north-by-north-west of Bharatpur city. Population (1901), 12,083. The town contains a vernacular school attended by 140 boys, and a dispensary. The old name of the place is said to have been Ka- damba-vana (contracted to Kamavana), from the number of kadarnb trees (Anthocepkalus Cadambd) found here ; another account traces its name to a mythical Raja Kamsen. Kaman is one of the twelve holy places of the Braj Mandal (see Muttra District), and its shrine of Goplnath is regularly visited by pilgrims. In the middle of the town is an old fort, in which are many fragments of Hindu sculpture, and a mosque called Chaurasi Khamba ('84 pillars'). None of these pillars is without ornament, and some are very highly decorated. On one of them is a Sanskrit inscription of the Surasenas; it bears no date, but is believed to belong to the eighth century, and records the building of a temple to Vishnu.
[Indian Antiquary, vol. x ; Archaeological Survey of Northern India, vol. xx.]
