Chapter SUNDERBUNDS to SUNGTARA of S by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

a second time through the Sundarbans.”—Letter of Sir W. Jones, in Life, ii. 83.

„ “A portion of the Sunderbunds … for the most part overflowed by the tide, as indicated by the original Hindoo name of Chunderbund, signifying mounds, or offspring of the moon.”—James Grant, in App. to Fifth Report, p. 260. In a note Mr. Grant notices the derivation from “Soondery wood,” and “Soonder-ban,” ‘beautiful wood,’ and proceeds: “But we adhere to our own etymology rather … above all, because the richest and greatest part of the Sunderbunds is still comprized in the ancient Zemindarry pergunnah of Chunder deep, or lunar territory.”

1792.—“Many of these lands, what is called the Sundra bunds, and others at the mouth of the Ganges, if we may believe the history of Bengal, was formerly well inhabited.”—Forrest, V. to Mergui, Pref. p. 5.

1793.—“That part of the delta bordering on the sea, is composed of a labyrinth of rivers and creeks, … this tract known by the name of the Woods, or Sunderbunds, is in extent equal to the principality of Wales.”—Rennell, Mem. of Map of Hind., 3rd ed., p. 359.

1853.—“The scenery, too, exceeded his expectations; the terrible forest solitude of the Sunderbunds was full of interest to an European imagination.”—Oakfield, i. 38.

[SUNGAR, s. Pers. sanga, sang, ‘a stone.’ A rude stone breastwork, such as is commonly erected for defence by the Afridis and other tribes on the Indian N.W. frontier. The word has now come into general military use, and has been adopted in the S. African war.

[1857.—“… breastworks of wood and stone (murcha and sanga respectively). …”—Bellew, Journal of Mission, 127.

[1900.—“Conspicuous sungars are constructed to draw the enemy’s fire.”—Pioneer Mail, March 16.]

The same word seems to be used in the Hills in the sense of a rude wooden bridge supported by stone piers, used for crossing a torrent.

[1833.—“Across a deep ravine … his Lordship erected a neat sangah, or mountain bridge of pines.”—Mundy, Pen and Pencil Sketches, ed. 1858, p. 117.

[1871.—“A sungha bridge is formed as follows: on either side the river piers of rubble masonry, laced with cross-beams of timber, are built up; and into these are inserted stout poles, one above the other in successively projecting tiers, the interstices between the latter being filled up with cross-beams,” &c.—Harcourt, Himalayan Districts of Kooloo, p. 67 seq.]

SUNGTARA, s. Pers. sangtara. The name of a kind of orange, probably from Cintra. See under ORANGE a quotation regarding the fruit of Cintra, from Abulfeda.

c. 1526.—“The Sengtereh … is another fruit. … In colour and appearance it is like the citron (Taranj), but the skin of the fruit is smooth.”—Baber, 328.

c. 1590.—“Sirkar Silhet is very mountainous. … Here grows a delicious fruit called Soontara (suntara) in colour like an orange, but of an oblong form.”—Ayeen, by Gladwin, ii. 10; [Jarrett (ii. 124) writes Súntarah].

1793.—“The people of this country have infinitely more reason to be proud of their oranges, which appear to me to be very superior to those of Silhet, and probably indeed are not surpassed by any in the world. They are here called Santôla, which I take to be a corruption of Sengterrah, the name by which a similar species of orange is known in the Upper Provinces of India.”—Kirkpatrick’s Nepaul, 129.

1835.—“The most delicious oranges have been procured here. The rind is fine and thin, the flavour excellent; the natives call them ‘cintra.’”—Wanderings of a Pilgrim, ii. 99.