Riyaz al-salatin 109.3
The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 109.3
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109.3.1
During the Viceroyalty of Nawab Ja'far Khan, whilst the abovementioned Murshid Quli Khan stayed at Murshidabad, a person named Mir Habib, a native of Shiraz, spoke Persian very fluently, though he was not read in that language. By chance, Mir Habib arrived in the Port of Hugli, where he earned his livelihood by retailing the wares of Mughal merchants. Owing to his kindred mercantile pursuits, and also owing to his conversational powers, Mir Habib quickly ingratiated himself with Murshid Quli Khan, and entered the latter's service. When Nawab Ja'far Khan conferred the Governorship of Jahangir-nagar (Dacca) on Murshid Quli Khan, Mir Habib also went in the latter's company to Jahangir-nagar (Dacca), and was attached to the latter as his Deputy. By personally attending to minute details, and by adopting a policy of economy, Mir Habib curtailed the State expenditure on account of the Nawarah (war-vessels), the artillery, and the army, and thus rendered good services, and in consequence, shortly after, his official rank was raised. Finding the tract of Jahangir-nagar (Dacca) to be fertile, profit-yielding, and suited for trading business, he revived the system of Sauda-i-khas current during the Viceroyalty of Prince Azimu-sh-Shan, and by means of other exactions, both he and his Chief amassed wealth.
109.3.2
On the pretext of collecting the Imperial revenue, he induced Nuru-l-lah, Zamindar of Parganah Jalalpur, who was the leading Zamindar, together with other Zamindars, to attend his Kachiri (Court). Adroitly dismissing the other Zamindars, one after another, Mir Habib kept Nuru-l-lah under duress. At midnight, he permitted him to return home, escorted by a number of Afghans. The latter, at the instigation of Mir Habib, slew Nuru-l-lah, in a narrow and dark alley. Next morning, Mir Habib announced that Nuru-l-lah had fled, sent a detachment to his house, confiscated his treasures and jewelleries and effects and silk-stuffs, amounting in value to several lacs, as well as his Abyssinian male and female slaves. Mir Habib possessed himself of the above, and thus acquired aristocratic paraphernalia. Subsequently leaguing with Aqa Sadiq, Zamindar of Patpasar, who in artfulness and cunning was his match, Mir Habib sent him on an expedition against Tiprah. By chance the Aqa met the nephew of the Rajah of Tiprah, who having escaped from the control of his uncle was wandering away from his native country, and who at this time happened to stay within the Imperial dominions. The aforesaid Aqa considering his company very lucky kept him in his company, promising to instal him in the Zamindari. The Rajah's nephew, according to the saying, — "The hare of that country can assuredly catch the dog of that tract," —
109.3.3
guided the Aqa through the rocky defiles and river-fords, and led him to the country of Tiprah. The Rajah of Tiprah, who was careless and was unaware of the incursion of the Imperial army, was paralysed by this sudden on-rush of the Imperialists, and not having the capacity to fight fled to the summit of the hills. The tract of Tiprah, without any difficulty, fell into the hands of Mir Habib, who by fightings stormed the fort of Chandigadah, which was the residence of the Rajah. Capturing numerous booty, Mir Habib brought the tract of Tiprah within the Imperial domains. After completing the settlement of this tract, Mir Habib appointed Aqa Sadiq as Faujdar of Tiprah, and the Rajah's nephew as the Rajah, whilst he himself returned to Jahangirnagar (Dacca) with treasures, valuables and elephants. Murshid Quli Khan sent to Nawab Shuja'u-d-daulah an account of the conquest of Tiprah, together with the best specimens of the wares and silk-stuffs of that tract. The Nawab named that tract (of Tiprah) Raushanabad, and invested Murshid Quli Khan with the title of 'Bahadur' and conferred on Mir Habib the title of 'Khan.' In short, when the Deputy-Nizamat of the Subah of Odisah (Orissa) was bestowed on Murshid Quli Khan, the latter, on the recommendation of Nawab Shuja'u-d-daulah, was given by the Emperor the title of Rustam-Jang.
109.3.4
Observing the old age of his father, and fearing lest after the latter's death Rustam-Jang might fight against him, Sarfaraz Khan detained at Murshidabad as hostages Rustam-Jang's son, named Yahya Khan, and his wife, named Durdanah Begam. Although this incident caused some bitterness of feeling to Murshid Quli Khan, the latter had no alternative but to endure it in silence. Murshid Quli Khan with his army arrived in the Subah of Orissa, and appointed Mir Habibu-l-lah Khan to be his Deputy there, in the same way as the latter had been his Deputy at Jahangirnagar. By use of diplomacy, and by dint of statesmanship and energy, Mir Habib succeeded in chastising and reducing to order all refractory Zamindars of Orissa. He neglected no step towards the perfect organisation and settlement of Orissa, and effected a surplus in its revenue. During the commotion in Muhammad Taqi Khan's time, the Rajah of Parsutam had removed Jagannath, the Hindu God, from the limits of the Subah of Odisah (Orissa), and had guarded it on the summit of a hill across the Chilka lake. In consequence of the removal of the idol, there was a falling-off to the tune of nine laks of rupees in the Imperial revenue, accruing from pilgrims. Establishing friendly relations with Mir Habibu-l-lah Khan, and paying nazar to the Nazim of the time, Rajah Dand Deo brought back Jagannath the Hindu God to Parsutam (Puri), and re-established the worship of Jagannath at Puri.
109.3.5
An account of the worship of Jagannath has been already given in the text of this History. When the Deputy-Nizamat of Odisah (Orissa) was conferred on Murshid Quli Khan Rustam-Jang, the Deputy-Nizamat of the Chaklah of Jahangirnagar (Dacca) was bestowed on Sarfaraz Khan. The latter appointed as his Deputy-Governor Ghalib Ali Khan who was a scion of the Royal family of Persia, and deputed Ghalib Ali Khan to Dacca. Sarfaraz Khan also appointed Jaswant Rai, the late Nawab Jafar Khan's Secretary, and his own tutorguardian, to be the Diwan and Minister of that place, and sent him to Dacca, in company of Ghalib Ali Khan. And out of regard for Nafisah Begam, his sister, he bestowed the office of Superintendent of the Nawarah (war-vessels) on Murad A'li Khan, son of Syed Razi Khan. The control over Fiscal and Home affairs, and the management of Crown-lands, Jagirs, war-vessels, artillery, Accounts and Customs-house were all entrusted to Munshi Jaswant Rai. In that the aforesaid Munshi had been trained up by Nawab Ja'far Khan, by dint of honesty and integrity, by thorough attention to details and by ripe wisdom, he effected not only an increase in the State Revenue, but secured the happiness of the people. He completely abolished the system of Sauda-i-khas, and banished the exactions and innovations introduced by Mir Habib, during the regime of Murshid Quli Khan.
109.3.6
Putting forth laudable efforts to keep down the selling-rates of food-grains, and effecting cheapness in their prices, he threw open the western gate of the Fort of Jahangirnagar (or Dacca), which Nawab Amir-ul-Umara Shaistah Khan had closed, inscribing on it a prohibition to the effect that no one should open it, until he succeeded in reducing the price of food-grains to one seer of the Bazar weight per Dirham, as was current in the Nawab's time. From that time until now, no one else had been able to effect such cheapness in the rate of food-grains. He rendered the tract of Jahangirnagar (Dacca) fertile, like the garden of Iram, by sprinkling on it the waters of liberality, equity and justice; and in consequence, Sarfaraz Khan won a good name amongst all classes of his subjects. At the desire of Nafisah Begam, Murad Ali Khan was married to a daughter of Sarfaraz Khan, and was appointed Deputy-Governor of Jahangirnagar (Dacca) in the place of Ghalib A'li Khan. Murad Ali Khan now promoted Raj Balab, a clerk attached to the Admiralty, to the office of Peshkar thereof, and commenced oppressions. Munshi Jasunat Rai, who had acquired a good name amongst the people, apprehending that his reputation might be tarnished, resigned his office of Diwan, and the Province of Jahangirnagar or Dacca turned to desolation through the tyranny of the new oppressive Deputy Nazim.
109.3.7
Mirza Muhammad Sa'id, the second son of Haji Ahmad, who was on behalf of Sarfaraz Khan Faujdar of the Chaklah of Ghoraghat and Rangpur and Kuch Behar, desolated the Mahals of Rangpur by his exactions and oppressions, and acquiring the treasures of those whom he oppressed, he mobilised an army. Requisitioning troops from the Emperor, he marched with his troops against the Rajahs of Kuch Behar and Dinajpur. Those Rajas fancying they were masters of large armies, and also fancying that they were sheltered by numerous forests and rivers, had hitherto paid little heed to the authority of the Nazim. By dint of diplomacy and by use of force, and by wars and battles, Mirza Muhammad Sa'id conquered those tracts, and acquired possession of the treasures, buried hoards, jewelleries and effects of those Rajahs. Owing to the immense treasure — indeed the treasure of a Croesus— that thus fell into his hands, he acquired much power. After the conquest of Kuch Bihar, by humouring Haji Ahmad, on the recommendation of Nawab Shuja'u-d-daulah and Sarfaraz Khan, Mirza Muhammad Sa'id received the titles of ' Khan ' and ' Bahadur.'