Storia do Mogor 237: Gulkandah.
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 237
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Gulkandah.
237.1
In this province are the diamond mines. A quantity of printed cloth is made, and these goods are the best to be found in India. They also make a great deal of white cloth, coarse and fine. Iron is abundant. The garrison kept there is of about twenty thousand horse, although the king pays for sixty thousand, since the Karnatik has been annexed. But the officers make a profit out of the difference, and embezzle without any fear. The capital of the province lies at nineteen degrees forty minutes of latitude, and at one hundred and twenty-four degrees forty minutes of longitude. Money is coined in every one of the provinces spoken of above. In Gulkandah, of which I have just been speaking, is a district called Bezoar (? Baizwada), near the country of Chanda. In that part goats are very numerous, and in them grow the bezoar stones. It is from this place that the stones take their name. It is found that these stones grow in the small intestines of the goat, and the goat-herds who tend them are aware of how many there are in each goat, and the weight of each. As for the latitudes and longitudes of the above places, as recorded by me, they are founded on the calculations and estimates of the astronomers in this country. They have a great reputation for strict exactness.
237.2
The king and the princes keep officials in every one of these provinces, whose business it is to put in hand the best goods that can be fabricated in each place. With this object in view, they keep an eye continually upon what is being done in that respect. Usually the viceroys and governors are in a constant state of quarrel with the Hindu princes and zamlndars — with some because they wish to seize their lands ; with others, to force them to pay more revenue than is customary. It now remains to say something of what grows in the territories of the Hindu princes. In the country of the King Rana there is much grain, many papoles (? papaya), which is a certain fruit of India, poppy plants from which opium is obtained, ginger, and Indian saffron (turmeric), which is a kind of small yellow root. The Rana owns several copper mines, and in his country are manufactured several kinds of coarse printed cloth. The lands of the Rathor, who rules nine districts, are for the most part all sand ; they have little or no water. The wells in some places are so deep that the water is drawn with the help of oxen. When water is to be drawn, those who set these animals to work beat a drum as a warning that the pot is at the mouth of the well, and they are about to draw water. The cereals grown in this country come up by help of the rain only. There are a great many camels and dromedaries without [long] hair.
237.3
In the lands of the other rajahs there grow the same crops as stated above. There is much iron, which is used for swords, lances, and other weapons. With respect to the weapons of this country, there once happened a comical adventure to King Shahjahan. This prince said one day to Rajah Chattar Sal Rae that he should like to pay him a visit in his country. The rajah replied that the very next day he would show him all he wanted to see. Next morning at sunrise [60] Chattar Sal Rae brought out a division of cavalry twenty thousand strong, all provided with swords and holding their lances in their hands. He posted them before the royal palace on the river bank. Then he set round them a number of infantry, also with spears. On beholding this array the king seemed astonished. Then the rajah spoke. He said to the prince : ' Sire, by this spectacle your Majesty is absolved from going any farther to inspect my country, for I can assure you that it is all exactly what you have under your eyes.' The king concealed the vexation caused him by such a compliment, and then retorted that he knew very well that he was a loyal vassal, whose valour would be useful against his enemies. Afterwards he gave him a set of robes (sarapa), with some horses, and sent him back to his own country. He was sent for again when Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh came against Prince Dara, and there he lost his life, as I have stated in my First Part (I. 191).
237.4
[Here follows a statement of the chief Hindu rajahs and princes to be found in Hindustan, who are vassals of the Mogul. There are eighty-four of them, and they dwell between the Indus or the Ganges, as far as Allahabad and the Narbada river. These lands are called Hindustan — that is, 'Hindudom.'] The most powerful rajahs are three in number : 1. The first is the rajah Rana, a word which means 'Graceful Carriage.' All his descendants bear the same name, and he calls himself son of him who was saved from the Deluge (? Noah). He is lord of the town of Udepur, and his tribe call themselves Sedussje (Sisodiyah). He is the sovereign lord of a large country, which yields him a great revenue. He has always ready for the field fifty thousand horse and two hundred thousand infantry, all of his own race. If he wanted to enlist more he could do so ; all the more easily that he is extremely powerful and wealthy. He moves under the shelter of an umbrella, an honour conceded to no one but the Mogul king. 2. The second is called Rathor. He rules over nine districts called Nacott Marvar (Nau-kot Marwar ka). The capital of the country is called Judarpur (Jodhpur). These districts were formerly governed by Rajah Jaswant Singh, which is the name of a lion. I have spoken of him several times in my History. This rajah can put into the field as powerful an army as the Rana's, and all of his own race. The descendants of Rajah Jaswant Singh are the present rulers of the country.
237.5
3. The third is called Chaque (? Kachhwahah); his capital town is called Amber. This country was formerly ruled over by Rajah Jai Singh, a name meaning 'Lion's Victory.' He was of great use to Aurangzeb, and as payment for his services that monarch caused him to be poisoned. His descendants have done good work against the peasants of Agrah and Mathura, as may be seen in my Second Part (II. 252). This prince or rajah [61], can produce for a campaign forty thousand horse and one hundred and fifty thousand infantry, all of the same race. Besides the above three there are other thirty smaller and less powerful rajahs. Of these, the first is Rajah Quaran (Karan), and this is also the name of his race; the word means 'liberal.' I have spoken of him already (II. 14). He has an army of twenty-five thousand horse and eighty thousand infantry, all of one race. The second is of the Ara (Hada) race; one of their princes died in the battle fought by prince Dara against Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh near the Chambal river on the fourth June, 1656 [correctly 1658]. His name was Chatar Sal Rae—that is, 'Beauty of the Umbrella.' He is master of twenty thousand horse and fifty thousand infantry, all of one race.
237.6
The third is the Rajah of Bomdela (Bundelah). This race is much given to robbery and rebellion. One of these princes revolted against Shahjahan, and allowed a passage through his country to Prince Aurangzeb when marching against Prince Dara. He was beheaded the very day of the battle, as I have stated in my First Part (I. 186). It was the son of this rajah just spoken of who came to seek me out at San Thome to ask me to cure him of a disease he had (II. 235). His name was Dalpat Rao — that is, ' The Honourable Army.' He is at the head of fifteen thousand horse and of much infantry. The fourth is Rotella (Rautela). The prince of this country was called Ram Singh, Rotella (Rautela), and his name means ' God's Lion.' He died of an arrow wound inflicted by Prince Murad Bakhsh in the battle against Dara on the fourth June, 1656 (1658), as I stated in my First Part (I. 191). The tribe can place in the field as many as twenty-five thousand horse and seventy thousand infantry, all of one race. There are some twenty-seven rajahs of about the same strength as the last-mentioned, and I proceed to note some of the races they govern, some of them bearing also the same name. The greater number are in the service of the king, where they draw good honourable pay, equal to that of the Mahomedan generals and captains.