The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 12.2
Dwázda-Sála-i Jahángírí; Wáki’át Jahángírí, of the Emperor Jahángír (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 12.2
- Language
- English
12.2.1
He left three sons, viz. Adam Khan, Haji Khan, and Bahram Khan. They quarrelled among themselves, and at last lost the dominions of their father. The sovereignty of Kashmir fell into the hands of a class called Chaks, who were formerly but common soldiers. Three rulers of this tribe constructed three buildings on the remaining three faces of the foundation which was laid by Zainu-l ’Abidin in the lake of Ulur, but none of them is so substantial as the first one built by that King. Kashmir is a delightful country in the seasons of autumn and spring. I visited it in the former season, and found it even more charming than I had anticipated. I never was there in spring, but I hope some time or other to be there during that season.
12.2.2
On Saturday, the 1st of Muharram, I marched from the bank of the Behat to Rohtas, with one stage intervening. The fort of Rohtas is one of the buildings of Sher Khan Afghan, and is constructed amongst the ravines, where it was scarcely conceivable that so strong a position could have been obtained. As this tract is near the country of the Gakkhurs, a troublesome and turbulent race, it came into his head to build this fort for the purpose of overawing and controlling them. Sher Khan died when only a portion of the work was done, but it was completed by his son Salim Khan. Over one of the doors the cost of the fort is engraven on a stone, which is set in the wall. The amount is 16,10,00,000 dams and something more, which is 34,25,000 rupees of Hindustan, 120,000 tumans of Iran, or 1,21,75,000 khanis of Turan. On Tuesday, the 4th, I marched four kos and three-quarters to Tillah, which means “a hill” in the Gakkhur language.
12.2.3
From that place I marched to the village of Bhakra, which in the language of the same people is the name of a shrub with white flowers without any odour. From Tillah to Bhakra I marched the whole way through the bed of a river, in which water was then flowing, and the oleander bushes were in full bloom, and of exquisite colour, like peach blossoms. In Hindustan this evergreen is always in flower. There were very many growing at the sides of this stream, and I ordered my personal attendants, both horse and foot, to bind bunches of the flowers in their turbans, and I directed that the turbans of those who would not decorate themselves in this fashion should be taken off their heads. I thus got up a beautiful garden. On Thursday, the 6th, Hatya was the encamping ground. On this march a great many Palas shrubs were found in blossom. This shrub is also peculiar to the jungles of Hindustan. It has no fragrance in its flowers, which are of a fiery orange colour. The trunk is black. The flowers are the size of a red rose, or even bigger. It was such a sight that it was impossible to take one’s eyes off it. As the air was very charming, and as, in consequence of a veil of clouds obscuring the light of the sun, there was a slight shower, I indulged myself in drinking wine. In short, I enjoyed myself amazingly on this march.
12.2.4
This place is called Hatya because it was founded by a Gakkhur named Hati. The country from Margalla to Hatya is called Pothuwar. Within this tract there are but few crows to be found. Between Rohtas and Hatya is the country of the Bugyals, who are of the same stock, and connected with the Gakkhurs. On Friday I marched four kos and three-quarters to Pakka, so called because it has a sarai built of baked bricks; and Pakka in the Hindi language means "baked." There was nothing but dust on the road; and in consequence of the annoyances I experienced, I found it a very troublesome march. In this place most of the sorrel brought from Kabul got injured. On Saturday, the 8th, I marched four and a half kos to a place called Khar, which means "broken ground" in the Gakkhur language. This country is very bare of trees.
12.2.5
On Sunday I pitched my camp on the other side of Rawal Pindi, so called because it was founded by a Hindu named Rawal, and Pindi in that language means "a village." Near this place there is a stream of flowing water in a ravine, which empties itself into a tank. As the place was not destitute of charms, I remained there for a short time. I asked the Gakkhurs what the depth of the water was. They gave no specific answer, and added, “We have heard from our fathers that there are alligators in this water, which wound and kill every animal that goes into it, and on this account no one dares enter it.” I ordered a sheep to be thrown into the water, which swam round the whole tank, and came out safe. After that I ordered a swimmer to go in, and he also emerged safe. It was therefore evident that there was no foundation for what the Gakkhurs asserted. The breadth of this water is about a bow-shot. On Monday I encamped at Kharbuza. The Gakkhurs in former days erected a domed structure here, in which they used to collect tolls from travellers. As the dome is in shape like a melon, it was called Kharbuza.
12.2.6
On Tuesday, the 11th, the camp moved to Kala-pani, which means in Hindi “black water.” On this march there occurs a hill called Margalla. Mdr, in Hindi, signifies “to rob on the highway,” and galla, “a caravan,”—that is, it is a place where caravans are plundered. Up to this extends the boundary of the country of the Gakkhurs. These fellows are strange animals, always squabbling and fighting with one another. I did all I could to effect a reconciliation, but without effect. “The life of fools is held very cheap in troublous times.” On Wednesday, our encamping ground was Baba Hasan Abdal. About a kos to the east of this place there is a cascade, over which the water flows with great rapidity. On the whole road to Kabul there is no stream like this, but on the road to Kashmir there are two or three of the same kind. Raja Man Singh raised a small edifice in the middle of the basin whence the water flows. There are several fish in it, of half or a quarter of a yard long. I stayed three days at this charming spot, and drank wine with my intimate companions. I also had some sport in the way of fishing. I had never, up to this time, thrown the safra net, which in Hindi they call “Bhawar Jál” and is one of the commonest kind. To throw this net is a matter of some difficulty, but I tried it with my own hand, and succeeded in getting twelve fish. I strung pearls in their noses, and let them go again in the water.
12.2.7
I asked the inhabitants and people acquainted with history who Baba Hasan Abdal was, but no one could give me any specific information. The most noted spot there is where a spring issues from the foot of the hill. It is exceedingly pure and clear, and the following verse of Mir Khusru may well be applied to it. “The water is so transparent, that a blind man in the depth of night could see the small particles of sand at the bottom.” Khwaja Shamsu-d din Khwáfí, who was for a long time the minister of my respected father, erected a small summer-house there, and excavated a cistern into which the water of the spring flows, supplying the fields and gardens with the means of irrigation. Close to it he built a domed tomb for himself, but it was not his fate to be buried there. Hakim Abu-l Fath Gilani and his brother Hakim Humam, who were the most intimate friends of my father, and to whom he entrusted all his secrets, were buried there by his orders.
12.2.8
On the 15th I encamped at Amardi, a most extraordinary green plain, in which you cannot see a mound or hillock of any kind. At this place and in the neighbourhood there are seven or eight thousand houses of Khaturs and Dilazaks, who practise every kind of turbulence, oppression, and highway robbery. I gave orders that the sarkar of Attak, as well as this tract of country, should be made over to Zafar Khan, the son of Zain Khan Koka, and I gave him directions, that before the return of the royal camp from Kabul, he should march off the whole of the Dilazaks towards Lahore, and should seize the chiefs of the Khaturs, and keep them in prison and fetters. On Monday, the 17th, I encamped near the fort of Attak, on the banks of the river Nilab, after making one march intermediately. At this place I promoted Mahabat Khan to the rank of 2500. This fort, which is very strong, was constructed under the direction and superintendence of Khwaja Shamsu-d din Khwafi by order of my father. In these days the Nilab was very full, insomuch that the bridge consisted of eighteen boats, over which people passed with great ease and security. The Amiru-l Umara was so weak and sick, that I left him at Attak, and as the country around Kabul was not able to subsist so large a camp as accompanied me, I ordered the bakhshis to allow no one to cross the river except my own friends and household ; the main camp being ordered to wait at Attak till my return.
12.2.9
On Wednesday, the 19th, I embarked with the Prince and a few attendants on a raft, and passing over the Nilab in safety, landed on the bank of the Kama, the river which flows under Jalalabad. These rafts are composed of bamboos and grass, and placed on inflated skins. Here they call them Jál, and in rivers where there are many stones, they are safer than boats. I gave 12,000 rupees to Mir Sharif Amali and the officers who were left on duty at Lahore, to be distributed to the poor ; and orders were given to ’Abdu-r Razak M’amuri and Bihari Das, paymaster of the Ahadis, to make arrangements for supplying with every necessary the party who had been left behind with Zafar Khan. From that ground we moved, one march intervening, to my camp near Sarai Bara. On the opposite side of the river Kama there is a fort, built by Zain Khan Koka, when he was appointed to exterminate the Yusufzai Afghans. It is called Naushahra, and nearly 50,000 rupees were expended in its construction. They report that His Majesty Humayun hunted wolves in these parts, and I have heard my father say, that he had himself attended his father two or three times on these excursions. On Tuesday, the 25th, I moved to Sarai Daulatabad. Ahmad Beg Kabuli, the jagirdar of Peshawar, brought the Yusufzai and Ghorya-khail chiefs with him to pay their respects. As I was not pleased with his services, I removed him from the government of that country, and bestowed it upon Sher Khan Afghan.
12.2.10
On Wednesday, the 26th, I arrived at the garden of Sardar Khan, near Peshawar. Ghorkhatri, a famous place of worship amongst the Jogis, is in this neighbourhood, and I went to see it in the possible chance of seeing some fakir, from whose society I might derive advantage: but such a man is as rare as the Philosopher’s Stone or the ’Anka; and all that I saw was a small fraternity without any knowledge of God, the sight of whom filled my heart with nothing but regret. On Thursday Jamrud was our encamping ground. On Friday we went through the Khaibar Pass, and encamped at ’Ali Masjid. * * *