[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Persian and Urdu literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab) › [Nuh sipihr](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr) › [Nuh Sipihr (extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot) › 2 # Nuh sipihr 2: The Second Sphere. Nuh Sipihr (extracts) 2 - **Language:** English ### The Second Sphere. ### [2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.1) Khusru Khan is despatched for the conquest of Arangal (Warangal), in Tilang, with an army consisting partly of Hindus. "The king said, 'Turn your face to Tilang to demand jizya.'" "The royal pavilion was pitched at the end of the street, and on each side were ranged the other tents." The army advanced march by march, and the Hindus committed as many ravages as the Turks. Wherever the army marched, every inhabited spot was desolated. "Arangal had two walls, the centre of mud, the inner of stone." "When the army arrived there the Hindu inhabitants concealed themselves in the hills and jungles." "The Hindu horsemen of the rai vaunted themselves in every direction that they were as bold as lions, and the heralds, whom they call baras, surrounded them, singing their praises. The singers kept on resounding the pæans which they use in the wars of their ráís. The Brahmans, after their own fashion, offered up their prayers, accompanied by the voices of the minstrels." "The chiefs, in appearance, were valiant, but trembling in their hearts. Hindus made an attack upon Hindus, to try their respective strength. If the Turks had charged, they would have annihilated the enemy, for, from time immemorial, the Hindus have always been the prey of the Turks." ### [2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.2) The army encamped three bow-shots from Arangal, and the Khan ascended an eminence from which he might examine the fort. "On all sides of it, for the distance of two míls, there were fountains and gardens, calculated to gratify those who are in search of pleasure. All its fruits were mangoes, plantains, and jacks; not cold apples or icy quinces. All the flowers which he saw were Hindu; the champa, keora, and jasmine. When the great Khan witnessed all this, he prayed Almighty God for assistance, and then returned to his camp." A skirmish described. "The Hindu horsemen were more than 10,000; the foot soldiers were beyond all calculation. The horsemen on our side were altogether only 300, or even less." Notwithstanding these disproportionate numbers, the Hindus were completely routed, when great booty in jewels and gold fell into the hands of the victors. "They pursued the enemy to the gate, and set everything on fire. They burnt down all those gardens and groves. That paradise of idol-worshippers became like hell. The fire-worshippers of Bud were in alarm, and flocked round their idol." ### [2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.3) In the morning Khusrú Khan attacked the outer wall, and obtained possession of part of it, when the Hindus sallied from the inner fortress in order to repel the Musulmans. The Khan ordered many of his horsemen to dismount, and made such a vigorous onset that he seized the principal bastion of the outer fortress, which was crowded with Hindus, many of whom were slain, and many taken prisoners; among the latter was Antíl Mahta, the commander of the Rái's forces. ### [2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.4) Next morning, the Khan advanced to the ditch and besieged the inner fortress. He ordered Khwája Hájí, the 'A'riz, "to distribute the army to the proper posts, to dig the trenches, and spring a mine, the length of which was equal to 150 yards at that time." When the rái witnessed these bold advances, he became alarmed, and "sent wise messengers with expressions of his submission and duty to the powerful one, saying, 'If I have wealth, or elephants, or country, it is mine only through the protection of the king. I will give all my wealth, my gold, my elephants, if I am allowed to escape with my life.' When the great Khan heard that message, he thanked Almighty God for his victory." The Khan replied: "The Khalífa who sent me to this country ordered me to demand three conditions from the Hindus: First, that they should make profession of our faith, in order that its saving tidings may be proclaimed throughout the world; second, that, in the event of refusal, a capitation tax should be levied; the third is, if compliance with these demands be refused, to place their heads under the sword. It is my recommendation that the rái come forth and place his face upon the ground, in front of the royal pavilion." ### [2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.5) The rái, in apprehension of his life, refused to leave the fort, but sent jewels, clothes, sandal, gold, horses, elephants, and other valuables to the Khan, by way of jizya. There were one hundred elephants and twelve thousand horses. The rapacious Khan, however, was not satisfied with all this, but sent a message to intimate that what had been sent was but "a leaf in the garden of the rái's wealth;" he therefore enjoined him to send everything in his possession, or to prepare for war. The rái solemnly affirmed that he had nothing left of all his former wealth, "As I am rái and have a regard for my own fair name, I would not tell a lie, which would not obtain credence." To this the Khan replied that if the rái were speaking truth, he could have no objection to submit to an ordeal. "He should thrust his hand into hot oil, and if he sustain no injury from the heat, no suspicion will exist against him." To this the rái would not consent, but on the demand of the Khan, made over some of his relations as hostages, and wrote a letter, saying, "If any concealed treasure should hereafter be discovered, the fault will be with me, and I am responsible. This written promise soon arrived from Arangal, and it was stamped with the seal of Mahádeo." ### [2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.6) The Khan then received from the rái, five districts (mauza') of his country ('ahd), an annual tribute of "more than a hundred strong elephants, as large as demons, 12,000 horses, and gold and jewels and gems beyond compute. The rái assented to the whole, with heart and soul, and wrote an engagement to this effect and confirmed it." He then made a long speech, entreating the consideration of the king, in the course of which he observes, that "the relation between Turk and Hindu is that of a lion and antelope, and the Turks, whenever they please, can seize, buy, or sell any Hindu." The Khan relinquished all the ceded and conquered territory, except "Badrkot, a fort as high as heaven, which the Khan had an object in demanding." ### [2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.7) The rái then ascended the rampart of the fort of Arangal, and turning his face towards the royal pavilion, he bowed to the earth. "Thus did he for three days, out of respect to the pale of religion; he turned towards the pavilion, and kissed the earth. He then again, tremblingly, addressed the commander in these words: 'I hold from the late Sultan several emblems of military pomp and dignity. What order is there respecting them? shall I continue to use them, or return them to you?' The Khan replied, 'As these were bestowed on you by the late Sultan, why should the reigning one wish to take them back from you? But it is right to pay due respect to his majesty, by sending the canopy (durbásh) and standard to the royal pavilion, in order that the former may be replaced by a new one, as the beams of the former sun no longer shine.'" The rái accordingly returned the insignia, which were lowered before the empty pavilion of the king, and were then returned to the rái, with the standard unfurled, and a new canopy. Khusrú Khan, after this ceremony, returned in triumph to the king, by whom he had been summoned in haste. But before his arrival, Mubarak Sháh had departed from Deogír, towards Dehlí, in the month of Jumada-l ákhir, 718 H. (August 5th, 1318 A.D.). ### [2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2.8) "When Mubarak Sháh arrived at Dehlí, he gave orders for the building of a Jámi' Masjid, by the most skilful architects, and when that was completed, he gave orders for completing the city and fort of Dehlí, which his father, 'Aláu-d dín, had left in an unfinished state. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.adab.nuh-sipihr~en-elliot.2) · Pramāṇa