The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 22.2
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 22.2
- Language
- English
22.2.1
Kishtwar is to the south of Kashmir. From the city of Kashmir (Srinagar) to the stage of Alkah (?), which is the capital of Kishtwar, the distance is 60 koss by measurement. On the 10th of the Ilahi month of Shahriwar, in my 14th year, Dilawar K., with 10,000 horse and foot, determined to conquer Kishtwar. He appointed his son, Hasan by name, with Gird ‘Ali Mir-bahr (admiral) to guard the city and administer the territory. And as Gohar Chak and Aiba Chak laid claim to Kashmir as heirs, and were stirring up strife in Kishtwar, and were wandering in the valley of confusion and ruin, he left Haibat, one of his brothers, with a force at Desu, which is near the kotal of Pir Panjal, by way of caution, and, dividing his forces at that place, he himself hastened with a force by the road of Sanginpur, sending his son Jalal, with Nasru-llah ‘Arab, and ‘Ali Malik Kashmiri, and a band of Jahangiri servants by another road, and his elder son Jamal with a band of zealous young men as an advanced guard to his own force. At the same time he placed two other forces to move forward on his right and left. As no horses could go on the road, by way of precaution he took some with him, but left nearly all his sipahis’ horses behind, and sent them to Kashmir (i.e., Srinagar). The young men girded the belt of duty on their waists, and went up the hills on foot.
22.2.2
The ghāzīs of the army of Islam fought from post to post with the ill-fated unbelievers as far as Narkot, which was one of the enemy’s strongholds. There the corps of Jalal and Jamal, which had been sent by different roads, met, and the enemy, not having the power to oppose them, took to flight. The brave ones who offered their lives traversed many ups and downs with the courage of determination, and hastened on to the Maru river. On the bank of that river the fire of slaughter was lighted, and the ghāzīs of the army of Islam displayed approved activity. The ill-fated Aiba Chak, with many of the people of ruin, were slain. By the death of Aiba the Raja became powerless and without heart, and took the road of flight, and, crossing by the bridge, stopped at Bhandarkot, which is on the other side. A band of the brave ones (bahādurān) quickly advanced, wishing to cross the bridge. A great fight took place at its head, and some of the young men attained to martyrdom. In this way for twenty days and nights the servants of the Court tried to cross the river, and the unbelievers of darkened fortune did not fail to attack and try to drive them back, until Dilawar K., after establishing thānas and arranging for the commissariat, arrived with his army.
22.2.3
The Raja, by way of stratagem and vulpine trickery, sent his Vakils to Dilawar K., and begged that he might send his brother with offerings to the Court, so that when his offences obtained pardon, and his mind were freed from fear and trouble, he could also himself proceed to the Court, the refuge of the world, and kiss the threshold. Dilawar K. did not lend his ear to these deceitful words, and did not throw away from his hand the coin of opportunity. He dismissed the envoys of the Raja without the attainment of their object, and made every exertion to cross the bridge. His eldest son Jamal, with a band of the crocodiles of the sea of bravery and valour, went up the river, and by bravely swimming it, although swollen, crossed over, and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. The devoted servants of the Court made an attack from the other side, and made matters tight for these ruined people. These, when they found they had no longer the strength to oppose them, broke down the planking of the bridge, and took to flight. The victorious servants made the bridge strong again, and transported the remainder of the army. Dilawar Khan drew up his forces at Bhandarkot. From the aforesaid river (the Maru) to the Chenab, which is a strong support of these unfortunate people, is a distance of two bow-shots, and on the bank of the Chenab there is a lofty hill.
22.2.4
The crossing of the water is a difficult matter, and, with a view to the coming and going of people on foot, they attach strong ropes, and place planks of the width of a cubit between two ropes, and fasten one rope’s end to the top of the hill, and the other on the other side of the water. Then they attach two other ropes a gaz higher than these, that foot-passengers may place their feet on the planks, and, taking hold of the upper ropes, may descend from the top of the hill to the bottom, and so cross the river. This bridge they call zamfa, in the language of the people of the hill country. Wherever they apprehended that a rope bridge might be constructed, they stationed musketeers and archers and men-at-arms, and so felt secure. Dilawar K. made rafts {jJtdla), and, placing on them eighty of his valiant young men, sent them across the river at night. As the water was flowing with great violence, the rafts were carried down by the flood of destruction, and sixty-eight of these gallant men were ‘drowned in the sea of non-existence, and obtained the renown of martyrdom, whilst ten, by the aid of swimming, reached the shore of safety {i.e., returned), and two on the other side became prisoners in the hands of the infidels. In short, for four months and ten days Dilawar Khan, having planted the foot of courage at Bhandarkot, made endeavours to cross over;
22.2.5
but the arrow of stratagem did not reach the target of intent until a Zamindar pointed out a place which the enemy had no idea of. There, having constructed a zarnfah, in the heart of night, Jalal, Dilawar K.’s son, with some of the servants of the Court and a band of Afghans, about 200 in number, crossed over in safety, made unawares in the morning an attack on the Raja, and blew loudly the trumpets of victory. A few who were around and before the Raja rushed out, bewildered, half asleep and half awake, and most of them became the harvest of the blood-drinking sword, while the rest quickly withdrew themselves from that whirlpool of calamity. In that encounter one of the soldiers came upon the Raja, and wished to finish him with a sword. He called out: “I am the Raja; take me alive to Dilawar Khan.” The men rushed on him and made him prisoner. After the Raja was made prisoner, his people all fled. When Dilawar Khan heard this good news of victory, he prostrated himself in thankfulness to Allah, and, having crossed the river with the victorious army, came to Mandal Badr, which was the capital of the country, and is 3 koss from the river. The daughter of Sangram Raja of Jammu, and the daughter of the abandoned Suraj Mai, s. Raja Baso, were in the Raja’s house (i.e., married to him). By Sangram’s daughter he had children. Before the victory he had, by way of caution, sent his family for refuge to the Raja of Jaswal and other Zamindars.
22.2.6
When my victorious retinue approached, Dilawar Khan, according to order, took the Raja with him, and came to kiss the threshold, leaving Nasru-llah ‘Arab with a body of horse and foot to guard the country. In Kishtwar there are produced much wheat, barley, lentils, millet, and pulse. Differing from Kashmir, it produces little rice. Its saffron is finer than that of Kashmir. About a hundred hawks and falcons are caught there (annually). Oranges, citrons, and water-melons of the finest kind are obtained. Its melons are of the same kind as those of Kashmir, and other fruits, such as grapes, apricots, peaches, and sour pears, are grown. If they were cultivated, it is possible they would improve. A coin of the name of sanhasl is a relic of the old rulers of Kashmir, one and a half of which equal a rupee. In their business transactions they reckon fifteen sanhasl, or ten rupees, as one pddshdM muhar. They call two seers of Hindustani weight a man (maund). It is not the custom for the Raja to take revenue from cultivation; he takes annually six sanhasl — that is, four rupees — from each house. All the saffron is assigned, as pay, to a body of Rajputs and to 700 musketeers (tupcM) who are old retainers. When the saffron is sold, four rupees per maund, or two seers, are taken from the purchaser. The whole income of the Raja consists of fines, and for a small offence he takes a heavy sum.
22.2.7
From whomsoever is wealthy and in comfortable circumstances the Raja, on some pretext, clears out all that he has. From all sources his income is about Rs. 100,000. In time of war 6,000 or 7,000 men on foot collect together; there are but few horses among them. The Raja and the chief men have about fifty between them. I bestowed a year’s revenue on Dilawar K. by way of reward. By conjecture, his jagir was worth about 1,000 personal and 1,000 horse, according to the Jahdngin rules. When the chief diwans calculate the allowances to the jagirdars, the exact amount will be ascertained.