South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c9.s2.16.3

c9.s2.16.3

According to Wassaff, about this time as many as 10,000 horses were imported into Kāyal and other ports of India of which 1,400 were to be of Jamalu-d-din's own breed. The average cost of each horse was 220 dinars of 'red gold'. The cost even of those that died on the way was paid by the Pāṇḍya king for whom they were imported. Jamalu-d-din's agent was a brother as it seems, Takiu-d-din Abdur-Rahman, son of Muhammadu-t-Thaibi described as Marzaban (Margrave). This agent had his head-quarters at Kāyal, and had the other ports of Fitan and Mali Fitan also under his control. This description means that he was the agent general for the import trade of the Arabs in this part of the country, as according to the same authority the trade of this region in those days was very great, both in volume and value. In the words of Wassaf, 'Ma'bar extends in length from Kulam to Nilawar (Nellore) nearly three hundred parasangs along the sea-coast, and in the language of that country the king is called Dewar, which signifies the lord of empire. The curiosities of Chin and Machin, and the products of Hind and Sind, laden on large ships (which they call junks)¹ sailing like mountains with the wings of winds on the surface of the water, always arrived there.