2. By another version their original birthplace was Kalinjar. The King of that fort one day asked his family priest what was the day of the month. He answered that it was the full moon (pûranmâsi), whereas it was really the Amâvas or the last day of the dark fortnight. When the Pandit became aware of the mistake which he had committed, he went home and fell into deep distress. When his daughter learned the cause of his sorrow, she prayed to the moon to appear at once full, and thus justify her father’s words. The moon appeared, and as a reward lay with her, and when her father heard of this he expelled her from his house; so she wandered into the jungle, and there her child was born. There a Banâphar Râjput saw her and took her home. Her father was so ashamed of the affair that he turned himself into a stone, and as his name was Mani Râm, he is now worshipped as Maniya Deva. The Chandel ascendancy in Bundelkhand between the supremacy of the Gonds and the advent of the Muhammadans is a well-known historical fact; it was during this period that the great irrigation works in the Hamîrpur District, the forts of Kalinjar and Ajaygarh, and the noble temples of Khajurâhu and Mahoba were built. 3. All these legends may point indirectly to some flaw in the tribal pedigree. We know that the Mirzapur legend of Oran Deo closely connects them with the aboriginal Soiris as the Oudh story suggests kinship with the Bhars. [207] The Unâo branch say they come from Chanderi, in the Dakkhin, whence they emigrated after the overthrow of the Bundelkhand kingdom of Mahoba by Prithivi Râja in spite of the bravery of the Banâphar heroes Alah and Udal. [208] Part of them emigrated to Unâo as late as the reign of Aurangzeb. As for the Eastern branch of the sept they are admitted to be of Sombansi origin, but do not intermarry with the leading tribes. The Bundelas are by one account a spurious breed between them and slave girls. [209] One of the Cawnpur families fasten their coats on the right side of the chest like Muhammadans. They say they do this in memory of the Delhi Emperors who remitted their tribute. [210]