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Riyaz al-salatin 3.2

The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 3.2

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3.2.1

And adjoining to Assam, (Asham) is Tibet, and adjoining Tibet, are Khata and Machin. The capital of Khata is Khan Baligh, which is at a distance of four days from the sea. It is said from Khan Baligh to the seashore, a canal has been dug, and both sides of it have been solidly embanked. And in the mountains to the east of Asham towards Utarakul, at a distance of fifteen days' journey, the tribes of Mari and Majmi dwell. In that mountain black deer and elephants are bred. Silver, copper and tin are procured from those mountains. The habits of those tribes (of Mari and Majmi) resemble those of the Assamese, and in beauty and refinement their females are superior to the women of Assam. They have a great horror for the gun, in regard to which they say : " It is a wicked thing, it shouts out, but does not move from its place, and an infant comes out of its belly, and kills human beings."

3.2.2

And between the south and east of Bengal, is situate a large tract called Arkhang (Arracan); Chittagong adjoins it. The male elephant abounds there, horses are scarce, and camels and asses can be had at high prices. And cows and buffaloes are not to be found there, but there is an animal resembling cows and buffaloes, and of brown colour, which yields milk. Their religion is distinct from Islam and Hinduism. Barring their mothers, they can take all other women for their wives ; for instance, a brother may marry his sister. And the people never remiss in their obeisance to the authority of their sovereign and chief whom they style 'Wali,' are always firm in their allegiance to him. Women-soldiers turn out at darbars, whilst their husbands stay at home. The inhabitants are all black in colour, and their males do not keep beard. And adjoining to the country of Arkhang, is situate the country of Pegu, between the south and east of Bengal. And the military force of that country consists of an elephant-corps and infantry. White elephants are found in its jungles, and on its boundaries are mines of minerals and precious stones; owing to this, enmity exists between the Peguans and the Arkhangians.

3.2.3

And bordering on this tract is the country of Mag. The inhabitants are so many animals dressed up in human forms. They eat every animal of the earth and the sea that is procurable. They spare no animals. Their religion and law are all unsound. And they marry their sisters, born of different mothers. And the pronunciations of their language are similar to those of the people of Tibet. And in the southern limits of Bengal, is situate the vilayet of Odisah (Orissa). From Mandahdalul to Malwah and the passage of the Chilkah lake, are its limits. In the period of the sovereignty of Sultan Jalalu-d-din Muhammad Akbar Padshah Ghazi, this country being conquered by Kalapahar was entered in the Diwan-i-Akbari and annexed to the Nizamat of Bengal. And its short account is this, that Kalapahar, who was one of the nobles of Babar and who was bold and could work miracles, under order of Muhammad Akbar Padshah, engaged in conquering that country with 12,000 select cavalry. Rajah Makand Deo, the ruler of that country, was very luxurious and given to indolence and ease. For six months he admitted the public to his audience, and attended to the management of the affairs of his country, and for six months he gave his body rest, and went to sleep. And if anyone awoke him during his period of slumber, he was sure to be killed.

3.2.4

When the news of the arrival in that country of Kalapahar with the Imperial forces, came to the ear of the Rajah, he built the fort of Barahbati, which is a strong fort, for his security, and entrenched himself in it. And placing proper forces for encountering the enemy, he himself, according to his old habit, went to sleep. Kalapahar, by successive and numerous fightings, vanquished the Rajah's forces, and brought to his subjection the entire dominion of Odisah (Orissa), so much so that he carried off the Rani together with all household goods and chattels. Notwithstanding all this, from fear of being killed, no one was bold to wake up this drunkard of the sleep of negligence, so that Kalapahar had his hands free. After completing the subjugation of the entire country, and investing the Fort of Barahbati, which was his (the Rajah's) place of sleep, Kalapahar engaged in fighting. The officers and employes of the Rajah summoning his clarion-players communicated the news of the whole affair through the reed of the clarion. When the news about Kalapahar went to the ear of that fortune-sleeper on the bed of sleep, which is brother of death, considering this affair as the event of the Day of Judgment, like the sleepers in graves, from the sound of the trumpet, sprang confounded from the sleep of oblivion, and making the movement of a slaughtered animal, devoted his head to the swords of the warriors of Islam.

3.2.5

The country of Orissa and the fort of Barahbati being subjugated, were added to the dominions under the sovereignty of the Musalman Emperors. The firm Muhammadan religion and the enlightened laws of Islam were introduced into that country. Before this, the Musalman Sovereigns exercised no authority over this country." Of the miracles of Kalapahar, one was this, that wherever in that country, the sound of his drum reached, 'the hands and the feet, the ears and the noses of the idols,' worshipped by the Hindus, fell off their stone-figures, so that even now 'stone-idols, with hands and feet broken, and noses and ears cut off, are lying at several places in that country. And the Hindus pursuing the false, from blindness of their hearts, with full sense and knowledge, devote themselves to their worship! It is known what grows out of stone: From its worship what is gained, except shame?

3.2.6

It is said at the time of return, Kalapahar left a drum in the jungle of Keonjhar, which is lying in an upset state. No one there from fear of life dares to set it up; so it is related. And Jaggannath, which is a big temple of the Hindus, is in this Subah. It is said when the Hindus reach Parsutam, where Jaggannath is, in order to worship Jaggannath, first they shave their heads like Musalmans, and at the first door of the house of Shaikh Kabir, who was a great saint of his time and whose parents were weavers, they eat and drink his food and water, which is called in the language of that country taraini. After having done so, they proceed to worship their God of Jaggannath. At Parsutam, Hindus unlike their practice elsewhere, eat together with Musalmans and other races. And all sorts of cooked food sell in the bazar, and Hindus and Musalmans buy them and eat together and drink together.