Travels in India (Tavernier) 23: Route from Surat to Golconda
Travels in India (Ball) 23
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Route from Surat to Golconda
23.1
I have made several journeys to Golconda, and by different routes, sometimes by sea, from Hormuz to Masulipatam, sometimes from Agra, and most frequently from Surat, which is the great threshold of Hindustan. I shall not speak in this chapter save of the ordinary route from Surat to Golconda, in which I include that from Agra, which leads to DaulatAbAd, as I shall describe in due course, only making mention, in order not to weary the reader, of two journeys which I made in 1645 and 1653. I left Surat on the 19th of January of the year 1645 and camped at Cambari (?) ... 3 coss. From Cambari to Barnoli (BArdoli) . 9 ,, ,, Barnoli to Beara (BehArA). . 12 ,, ,, Beara to Navapour (NawApurA) . 16 ,, This is the place where, as I have said, the best musk-scented rice in the world grows. From Navapour to Rinkula (?) . . 18 coss. ,, Rinkula to Pipelnar (Pimpalnar, or Pimpulni) . . . 8 „ ,, Pipelnar to Nimpour (Naunpur) . 17 ,, ,, Nimpour to Patane (PatnA). . 14 „ Patane to Secoura (Sakorā ?) 14 coss. Secoura to Baquela (Wāklā) 10 „ Baquela to Disgaon (Deogāon) . 10 ,, Disgaon to Dultabat (Daulatābād) 10 „ Daulatābād is one of the best forts in the kingdom of the Great Mogul; it is on a mountain, scarped on all sides, the road which they have made to it being so narrow that only one horse or one camel can pass at a time.
23.2
The town is at the foot of the mountain and has good walls, and this important place, which the Moguls lost when the Kings of Bījāpur and Golconda revolted and threw off the yoke, was retaken under the reign of Jahāngīr by a subtle stratagem. Sultān Kurum, who was afterwards called Shāh Jahān, commanded the army of the King his father in the Deccan, and Azam Khān, father-in-law of Shāistā Khān, who was one of the generals, said something to the Prince, who was so enraged that, sending at once for one of his paposhes or slippers, which they leave at the door, had him given five or six strokes with it on the head; this in India is the highest affront, after which it is impossible for a man to show himself. All this was done through an understanding between the Sultan and the general, in order better to deceive the world, and especially the spies which the King of Bijapur might have in the army of the Prince. The rumour of the disgrace of Azam Khan being quickly spread, and he himself having gone to seek refuge with the King of Bijapur, the latter, not having sharp enough eyes to perceive the ruse, gave him a good reception and promised him his protection. Azam Khan, finding himself so well received, asked the King to allow him for greater safety to take with him ten or twelve of his wives, and about as many servants, into the fortress of Daulatabad; this was granted to him.
23.3
He entered with eight or ten camels, the two kajawas which are carried on either side of the camels being well closed, according to custom, so that one cannot see the women who are inside. But instead of women they had put in them good soldiers, two in each kajawa, all men of action; of the same sort was each Chatri who led his camel, so that it was easy for them to slaughter the garrison, who were not on their guard, and to make themselves masters of the place, which has ever since remained under the authority of the Great Mogul. There are, moreover, in this place numerous fine cannons, and the gunners are generally English or Dutch. It is true that there is a small mountain higher than the fortress, but it is difficult of approach except by passing the fortress. There was a Dutch gunner there, who after serving the King for fifteen or sixteen years asked for his dismissal from him, and even the Dutch Company, which had placed him at the service of the Great Mogul, did all that it could to help him to obtain it ; but it was never able to achieve this desire, because he was a very good gunner, and succeeded admirably with fireworks.
23.4
The Raja Jai Singh, who is the most powerful of all the idolatrous princes of India, and who had most effectively aided Aurangzeb to ascend the throne, was sent as Commander-in-Chief of the armies of that King against the Raja Sivaji, and when passing near the fortress of Daulatabad this Dutch gunner went to salute him, and all the gunners of the army were Franks like himself. The Dutchman, taking advantage of the opportunity, told the Raja that if he agreed to give him his dismissal he would promise to find him a means for mounting cannon on the mountain which commanded the fortress, and they had already surrounded the mountain with a wall, some soldiers having been placed within the enclosure to prevent any one taking possession of it. The Raja, approving of the scheme, promised him that if he should be able to accomplish it he would obtain for him his dismissal from the King with a liberal present. The matter having turned out successfully, to the Prince’s content, he kept his promise to the Dutch gunner, and I saw the latter arrive at Surat at the beginning of the year 1667, whence he embarked for Batavia. From Dultabat to Aurengabat (Aurangabad), 4 coss.
23.5
Aurangabad was formerly only a village, of which Aurangzeb has made a town which is not enclosed. He made this notable increase, both on account of a lake of about 2 coss in circuit, upon which the village was built, and in memory of his first wife, who died there, and who was mother of his children. She is buried at the end of the lake on the western side, where the King has built a mosque with a splendid tomb and a fine caravansardi. The mosque and the tomb cost a large sum, because they are covered with white marble, which was brought by waggon from the neighbourhood of Lahore, and was on the road nearly four months. One day, when going from Surat to Golconda, I met, at five marches from AurangAbAd, more than 300 waggons laden with this marble, the smallest of which was drawn by 12 oxen. From Aurengabat to Pipeli (Pipri) 8 coss. ,, Pipeli to Aubar (AmbAd) . 12 ,, ,, Aubar to Guisemner (?) . 10 „ „ Guisemner to Asti (AshtA) • 12 „ ,, Asti to Saruer (SAoli ?) . 16 „ From Saruer to Lesona (Lasona) . 16 coss. „ Lesona to Nadour (Nander) . 12 ,, You must cross a river at Nander which flows into the Ganges, and pay 4 rupees per waggon, besides which, in order to cross, it is necessary to have a written order from the Governor. From Nadour to Patonta(?) . . 9 coss. ,, Patonta to Kakeri (?) . . 10 ,, ,, Kakeri to Satapour (Santapur) . 10 „ ,, Satapour to Sitanaga (?) . 12 „ „ Sitanaga to Satanagar (Satulanagar) . . . . 10 ,,
23.6
It is at Satulanagar that you first enter the territories of the King of Golconda. From Satanagar to Meluari (?) . . 16 coss. „ Meluari to Girballi (?) . 12 ,, ,, Girballi to Golconda . . 14 ,, This route from Surat to Golconda amounts to 324 coss. And I made the journey in 27 days. I took 5 more in my journey in the year 1653, having followed a different road from Pimpalnar, where I arrived on the 11th of March, having parted from Surat on the 6th. The 12th at Birgam (? Errgaum of A.S.) „ 13th at Omberat (Oomapuranah or Oomiana of A.S.) ,, 14th at Enneque-Tenque — a good fortress which bears the names of two Indian Princesses. It is on a mountain scarped on all sides, and it has only a small path on the eastern side for the ascent. There is a tank inside the enclosure of this place, and they might sow sufficient to feed 500 or 600 men, but the King does not desire to keep it garrisoned, and they have allowed it to fall in ruins. The 15th [March], to Geroul. (?) The 16th to Lazour (Lasoor), where there passes a river, upon which, at a cannon’s shot from the eastern bank, there is one of the largest pagodas in the country, where a large number of pilgrims resort daily. The 17th [March] to Aurengabad (Aurangabad).
23.7
„ 18th „ Pipelgan or Piply (Pipri). „ 19th „ Ember (Ambad). „ 20th „ Deogan (Deogaon ?). „ 21st „ Patris (Patri). „ 22d „ Bargan (Paungree ?). „ 23d „ Palam (Palling). „ 24th „ Candear (Kandahar), a great fort, but commanded on one side by a mountain. The 25th [March] to Gargan. (?) „ 26th „ Nagouni (Hingani ?). „ 27th „ Indove (Indore). „ 28th „ Indelvai (Yedalvoi). „ 29th „ Regivali (Reddypullay). Between these two last places there is a small river which separates the territories of the Great Mogul from those of the King of Golconda. The 30th [March] to Masapkipet (Musaibpet). „ 31st „ Mirel-mola-kipet (Mullanipet). The 1st [April] to Golconda. To go from Agra to Golconda it is necessary to go to Burhanpur by the route already described; from Burhanpur to Daulatabad, which is not more than five or six marches, and from Daulatabad to the other places which I have mentioned. You may take still another route to go from Surat to Golconda, that is to say, by Goa and Bijapur, as I shall describe in the particular account of my journey to Goa. I come now to what I have been able to remark of greatest interest in the Kingdom of Golconda, and to the late wars which it has had to undertake against the neighbouring States, during the time that I was in India.