Brahmans and Prayag (Allahabad) : A History of Resistance ________ Ancient Prayag with a provincial Magadhan capital of Kausambi was known as Ellavrit. The modern Jhunshi was earlier called Pratisthanpur was a massive Brahman settlement . It was called Jhunshi / Jhulsi after it was plundered and burnt by Delhi Sultans . If collective memory has to be taken as a fact the governer of KARA MANAKPUR Alauddin Khalji was the man responsible for massacre. Though there is no authentic work on history of resistances by Hindus in this reason, however birth of JUNA ÀKHARA and local history of a few Brahman dynasties in this region along with PRYAGVALS, the local pilgrims - ritualists often called TIRTHPUROHIT or in colloquial terms only Pandaji forms an interesting history . In the last years of GÀHARVAR dynasty , a Kshatriya Rajvansh donated ÀGRÀHÀR GRAMAS to a Brahman ascetic near Ellavrit. This land grant was given to a Brahman of SARVARYAH origin (now called Saryuparin ) . This grant formed the ÀNAPUR STATE , BHUMIHAR BRAHMAN principality in similar manner the HIRÀPURI PÀNDEY of KANYAKUBJ clan formed the KARCHHÀNA BARÀON state. Small Brahman principalities existed in CHAYÀL and ARGÀLA ( Arail). In Meza division SHUKULPUR CHAURASHI was another stronghold of Brahmins apart from KUNDÀ ( Pratapgarh) that created a territory of the Brahmans despite the fact DVADÀS BEHIMADHÀV , SÀTI CHÀURA and SÀKTISTHÀL at Allahabad remained in ruins. Most importantly the ÀKBARI KILÀ with CHILLA SITTUN and JÀNANA MAHAL had some significant remnants of ancient Brahmanic culture , e.g. image of large Hanuman near the fort. Medieval Allahabad , however maintained the KUMBH ànd KÀLPÀVASH tradition. As the STHÀLPUJA continued there under exemplary resistance to protect DHARMA by courageous PRYAGVÀLS. Swami PURNANAND SARASWÀTI surveyed the region in early 20th century and found that PRYAGVÀLS , and BHUMIHAR BRAHMANS strongly opposed the Mughal hegemony and supervised STHALPUJA at Prayàg. Both the clans mainlly offshoots and offsprings of SARYUPARINS managed massive local support ànd contributed to strengthen DASNAMI order with birth of JUNÀ ÀKHARA as the apex Hindu body that militarized the local ascetics . Ranapàndit Dvijràj Bàlwànt Narayàn Mishra ( Singh was his honorophic epithet) defeated Alikuli Khan , an unprecedented event where a Hindu artillery defeàted a Mughàl provincial chief ( subedàr) . Belligerent Balvant moved to sàcred Prayag with saffron flags and frolicsome slogan HAR HAR BHAVÀNI as a mark of victory and success to liberate Prayag that was even an ardent but unfulfilled desire of Peshva Baji Rào.