The confusion regarding association of the site with Jahangir seems to have originated due to similarity in name with the Mughal ruler. Oldham in a footnote in Buchanan’s Journal, confirmed that the name had originated from Rishi Jahnu, but, also quoted a note in ‘Voyages’ of Nicolas de Graaf, who, during his trip to Patna in 1670, had walked from “Jangira” to “Gorgatta”, i.e. from Jahngira to Ghorghat, and on the way saw “the ruined palace of Jahangir, after whom the promontory of which I have just spoken is called..... this palace was almost entirely destroyed during the civil wars, but one can well judge from what still remains of the walls and of the arcades and pillars, which were very tall, that it had been a very fine building”, thus referring to the tradition connecting the site with Jahangir. He further referred to an old masjid ascribed to Jahangir, said to have been repaired by Raja Rahmat ‘Ali Khan of Kharakpur in “Bara Jahangira” and of other buildings said to have been erected under the orders of that emperor including remains of a tower-like structure called by some as the Kachahri of Jahangir, to the north of the village, in river Ganga, even as he could find no record of Jahangir himself having ever visited the vicinity, and thus documented the above traditions “for what they are worth”. Even as one can still doubt the origin of Jahngira’s name, what is undeniable perhaps is the ancient tradition of pilgrimage from the site to the Deoghar temple and also to other prominent Shiva temples in India, as noted by Buchanan.

To be continued....