a celebrated city and district of Hindustan, in the province of Malwa. The district is situated between the twenty-third and twenty-fourth degrees of north latitude, and between the seventy-fifth and seventy-seventh of east longitude. The soil is in general a black vegetable mould, which is reduced during the rainy season nearly to the consistence of mud; and when it is dried by the sun it cracks in all directions, and the fissures are so wide and deep as to render travelling dangerous. Besides the city of Oojain, this district contains 175 villages. It produces the mango, guava, plantain, melon, and several varieties of the orange and lime trees.

The capital of the above mentioned district is also named Oojain, and is the principal residence of Scindia. It is situated on the Sipperah River, and is one of the most ancient cities of Hindustan, being, according to Major Rennell, the city which was known to the Greeks under the name of Ozene. It is called in the Sanscrit Ujayini, and is stated in authentic records to have been the capital of the rajaiah Bickernajit, a short time after the commencement of the Christian era. The ancient city was either much larger than the modern town, or it stood almost a mile to the north of it. It was overwhelmed by a violent earthquake at a time when it was the seat of empire, as well as of the arts and of learning. Its site is easily known; for, in digging to the depth of fifteen feet, brick walls, pillars of stone, and other ruins, are discovered. Adjoining these subterranean ruins there is a remarkable cavern, which consists of a long gallery, supported by pillars, with chambers excavated in each, and containing a number of figures carved on the walls, which are of granite. Amongst the ruins ancient coins are frequently found. The modern city of Oojain is of an oblong form, about six miles in circumference, and surrounded by a stone wall with round towers. This space includes some waste ground, but the inhabited part occupies the greater portion, and is much crowded with buildings and population. The houses are built of brick, and covered with tiles. The principal bazaar is a spacious and regular street, paved with stone, and having houses of two stories in height on each side. The whole of the lower story is laid out in shops, the ascent to which is by five or six steps from the street; the upper stories are the dwellings of the owners. The most remarkable buildings in the town are the mosques and temples; Scindia's temple is but a poor building, and is so surrounded by other buildings as to be scarcely observable. The southern quarter of the city is called Jeyisingpoor; it contains an observatory, erected by rajah Jyesing of Jyengur in the early part of last century. An extensive fort and citadel were founded by Mahadjee Scindia, at the distance of about two miles from the city, containing a palace. But these works were stopped at his death, and Gwalior was preferred by the reigning chief as his stronghold and place of refuge. Oojain carries on a considerable trade. From Surat are imported various kinds of European and Chinese goods, which are frequently sold here at a very low price. From Marwar are brought pearls, and quantities of assafoetida, the production of Sinde. Diamonds from Bundelcund also pass through this city on their way to Surat. The city is well supplied with provisions; and fruits, vegetables, and grain abound in all the public markets.

Oojain is a very ancient city; the rajahs who governed it are mentioned by Ferishta as early as A.D. 1008; and it was conquered by the Mahomedans about 1230. The first of the princes who reigned here was named Jyapa Scindia, who was a servant of Bajrow the peishwa, by whom, in reward for his services, the city and district of Oojain were made over to him. He was succeeded by his son Junkoje, who was murdered after the battle of Paniput, and his uncle Ranooje obtained possession of his territories. This chief left two sons, Kedjarjee and Mahadjee. The latter being the more aspiring of the two, acquired possession of the sovereignty. He was a brave and active officer, and commanded a division of troops in the memorable battle of Paniput, in which he was severely wounded in the thigh. He rose afterwards to high command, and to extensive dominion. He introduced European discipline amongst his troops, by whose aid he not only rivalled in power the greatest Mahratta chiefs, but conquered a large tract of Hindustan proper, and gained possession of the capital, Delhi, with its fallen monarch, the representative of the Great Mogul. He died in 1794, without issue, leaving the whole of his possessions to his adopted son and grand nephew Dowlut Row Scindia. In the year 1803, Scindia ventured to try his strength with the British, and a war ensued, which was soon terminated by a series of signal victories gained over his imperfectly disciplined troops, by Lord Lake and General Wellesley. He was in consequence soon compelled to sue for peace, which was concluded on the 30th of December 1803, on condition that he should cede all the territory situated between the Ganges and the Jamna, and all his possessions of every description in the country to the northward of those belonging to the rajahs of Jyengur and Joudpoor, and the ranah of Gohud. He also relinquished to the British government the fort and territory of Broach, and the fort and territory of Ahmednuggur, and all his possessions to the south of the Aguntee Hills, including the fort and district of Gondapoor, and all the other districts between that range of hills and the Godavery. Several forts, owns, and districts, were restored to Scindia. Two of the articles in the treaty, namely, the cession of the strong fortress of Gwalior, and a subsidiary force of 6000 men to be constantly stationed with Scindia, were relinquished by Lord Cornwallis, on his return to India. On the 23d of March 1804, a treaty offensive and defensive was concluded with Scindia by Colonel, afterwards Sir John Malcolm, on the part of the British government, by which Scindia agreed to receive a British subsidiary force of 6000 men, to be stationed near his frontier; and, in the event of a war, engaged to join the Company's forces with 6000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry. He also agreed to submit all the differences he might have with the peishwa to British arbitration. It was agreed that the Chumbul should henceforth be the boundary between the two states. When the war broke out with the Pindarrees, the policy of Scindia excited strong suspicions against him; in consequence of which a new treaty was concluded in 1817, in which it was agreed that he should use his utmost exertions against the Pindarrees, and that he should admit British garrisons into the fortresses of Hindia and Aseerghur during the war. The territories possessed by Scindia are still very considerable, and are supposed to yield him nearly a million per annum. For further particulars respecting this prince, see the article Hindustan.