The Institutes of Akbar 265: 42. Qulij Khán.

265

He is called Andajání, from Andaján, a province of Farghánah, south of the Saihún. His ancestors had been for many years serving under the Tímúrides. His grandfather was a noble at Sultán Husain Mírzá Báiqrá’s court.
The principal facts of his life have been mentioned on p. 34, note 2. In mentioning his appointment to Súrat, the ‘iron fort,’ which Akbar, in the 17th year, conquered in one month and seventeen days, Abulfazl says that the Fort had been built in 947 (1540-41, A. D.) by Çafar Ághá, alias Khudáwand Khán, a Turkish slave of Sultán Mahmúd of Gujrát. The táríkh of its construction is characteristic (metre long Ramal),
بناو سد سينه و جان فرنگي اين سد باد
‘May this structure prove a barrier for the chest and the life of the Firingí.’
Qulij Khán died at the age of eighty, on the 10th Ramazán 1022 (end of 1613, A. D.) at Pesháwar. He was at his death a Commander of Six Thousand, Five Thousand horse.
The Maásir and Badáoní (III, p. 188) say that he belonged to the tribe of Jání Qurbání (?); but for the latter word the MSS. have different readings, as Qurbání, Farwání, Faryábí, &c.
The Maásir copies from the Zakhírat ulkhawáníu the following story which is said to have taken place in 1000 A. H., when Jaunpúr was Q.’s jágír. ‘Q. was building a house, when the working men in digging came to a cupola-like structure. Q. and several other respectable men were called, and they remained on the spot till the newly discovered building was fully dug out. It had a door with an immense lock attached to it weighing one man. When forced open, an old man made his appearance, who asked the bystanders in Sanscrit, whether Rám Chandr’s avatár (incarnation) had taken place; whether he had got back his Sítá; whether Krishna’s avatár had taken place at Mathurá; and, lastly, whether Muhammad had appeared in Arabia. On receiving affirmative answers to these questions, the old man further wished to know, whether the Ganges still flowed. This also being affirmed, he expressed a wish to be taken out. Q. then put up seven tents, joined to each other, in each of which the sage remained for a day. On the 8th day he came out, and said prayers according to the way of Muhammadans. In sleep and eating he differed from other men; he spoke to no one, and died after six months.’
Qulíj Khán’s sons. 1. Mírzá Saifullah (No. 292), 2. Mírzá Chín Qulíj (No. 293), regarding whom vide below.