Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s1: Rivers

Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarát c19.s1

Language: English

Rivers

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Regarding the rivers and streams of Gujarát the Arab writers are almost completely silent. The first reference to rivers is in Al Masúdi (A.D. 944) who in an oddly puzzled passage says:² "On the Lárwi Sea (Cambay and Cheul) great rivers run from the south whilst all the rivers of the world except the Nile of the Egypt, the Mehrán (Indus) of Sindh, and a few others flow from the north." Al Birúni (A.D. 970-1030) states that between the drainage areas of the Sarsat and the Ganges is the valley of the river Narmada which comes from the eastern mountains and flows south-west till it falls into the sea near Bahrúch about 180 miles (60 yojanas) east of Somnáth. Another river the Sarsat (Sarasvati) he rightly describes as falling into the sea an arrowshot to the east of Somnáth.³ He further mentions the Tábi (Tapti) from the Vindu or Vindhya hills and the Támbra Barani or copper-coloured, apparently also the Tápti, as coming from Málwa. In addition he refers to the Máhindri or Máhi and the Sarusa apparently Sarasvati perhaps meant for the Sábarmati. Al Idrisi (A.D. 1100) is the only other Arab writer who names any of the Gujarát rivers. As usual he is confused, describing Dalka (Dholka) as standing on the bank of a river flowing into the sea which forms an estuary or gulf on the east of which stands the town of Bárúh (Broach).¹

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² Barbier De Meynard's Text of Al Masúdi's Les Prairies D'Or, I. 382.

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³ Sir Henry Elliot misreads Tamraz for Al Birúni's Arabic form of Narmada. He says: It comes from the city of Tamraz and the eastern hills; it has a south-easterly course till it falls into the sea near Bahrúch about 60 yojanas to the east of Somnath. The literal translation of the text of Al Birúni (see Sachau's Al Birúni's India, 130) is that given above. It is hard to believe that the accurate Al Birúni while in one place (see Sachau's Text, 99) giving the name of the Narbada faultlessly, should in another place fall into the error of tracing it from Tirwis a city of Central Asia. A comparison of Elliot's version with the text sets the difficulty at rest. Compare Sir Henry Elliot's History of India, I. 49 and note 3 ditto and Sachau's Arabic Text of Al Birúni, 130 chapter 25.

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⁴ Compare Sachau's Al Birúni with Sir Henry Elliot, I. 49, who is silent as to the distance.

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¹ See Ahmedábád Gazetteer, IV. 338; also Elliot's History of India, I. 356-357.

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The Arab writers record the following details of twenty-two leading towns:

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Anahalva'da (AMHAL, FÁMHAL, KÁMHAL, KÁMUHUL, MÁMHUL, NAHL-WÁRA, NAREWÁLA). Al Istakhri (u. 340; A.D. 951) mentions Ámhal Fámhal and Kámhal, Ibni Haukal (A.D. 976) Fámhal Kámhal and Kámuhul, and Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century) Mámhul. That these are perversions of one name and that this town stood on the border of 'Hind' or Gujarát (in contradistinction to Sindh) the position given to each by the Arab geographers² places beyond question. Al Istakhri (A.D. 951) alone calls the place by the name of Ámhal which he mentions³ as one of the chief cities of 'Hind.' Later he gives the name of Fámhal to a place forming the northern border of 'Hind', as all beyond it as far as Makrán belongs to Sindh. Again a little later⁴ he describes Kámhal as a town eight days from Mansúrah and four days from Kambáya, thus making Kámhal the first Gujarát town on the road from Mansúrah about seventy miles north of Haidarábád in Sindh to Gujarát. Ibni Haukal (A.D. 968-976) in his Ashkál-ul-Bilád gives Fámhal in his text and Kámhal in his map⁵ and again while referring⁶ to the desert between Makrán and Fámhal as the home of the Meds, he styles it Kámhal. Once more he⁷ refers to Fámhal as a strong and great city, containing a Jámá or Assembly Mosque; a little later⁷ he calls it Kámuhul and places it eight days from Mansúrah and four from Kambáya. He afterwards contradicts himself by making Mansúrah two days' journey from 'Kámuhul,' but this is an obvious error.⁸ Al Bírúni (A.D. 970-1039) notices Anhilwára and does not recognize any other form.⁹ Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century) adopts no form but Mámhal referring to it as one of the towns of the second climate¹⁰ on the confines of a desert between Sindh and 'Hind' (India or Gujarát) the home of the sheep-grazing and horse and camel-breeding Meds,¹¹ as a place numbered by some among the cities of Hind (Gujarát) by others as one of the cities of Sindh situated at the extremity of the desert which stretches between Kambáya, Debal, and Bánia.¹² Again he describes Mámhal as a town of moderate importance on the route 'from Sindh to India,' a place of little trade, producing small quantities of fruit but numerous flocks, nine days from Mansúrah through Bánia and five from Kambáya.¹³ Al Idrisi (quoting from tenth century ARAB REFERENCES, A.D. 851-1350. Towns. Anahalvada.

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² See Appendix Elliot's History of India, I. 363.

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³ Al Istakhri in Elliot (History of India), I. 27.

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⁴ Al Istakhri in Elliot (History of India), I. 30.

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⁵ Ibni Haukal in Elliot (History of India), I. 32-34.

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⁶ Ibni Haukal in Elliot (History of India), I. 34-38.

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⁷ Ibni Haukal in Elliot (History of India), I. 39.

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⁸ Ibni Haukal in Elliot (History of India), I. 40.

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⁹ Al Bírúni in Elliot (History of India), I. 61.

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¹⁰ Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I. 77.

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¹¹ Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I. 79.

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¹² Bánia seems to be a copyist's error for Bazána or Náráyana. The distances agree and the fact that to this day the neighbourhood of Jaipur is noted for its flocks of sheep bears additional testimony to the correctness of the supposition.

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¹³ Al Idrisi in Elliot's History of India, I. 84.

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materials) also notices Nahrwára as eight days' journey from Bárúh (Broach) across a flat country a place governed by a prince having the title of the Balhára, a prince with numerous troops and elephants, a place frequented by large numbers of Musalmáns who go there on business.¹ It is remarkable that though Vanarája (A.D. 720-780?) founded Anhilwára as early as about A.D. 750 no Arab geographer refers to the capital under any of the many forms into which its name was twisted before Al Istakhri in A.D. 951. At first Anhilwára may have been a small place but before the tenth century it ought to have been large enough to attract the notice of Ibni Khurdádbah (A.D. 912) and Al Masúdi (A.D. 915). In the eleventh century the Musalmán historians of Mahmúd's reign are profuse in their references to Anhilwára. According to Farishtah² after the capture of Anhilwára and the destruction of Somnáth (H. 414; A.D. 1025) Mahmúd was anxious to make Anhilwára his capital especially as it had mines of gold and as Singaldip (Ceylon) rich in rubies was one of its dependencies. Mahmúd was dissuaded from the project by his ministers.³ But two mosques in the town of Pattan remain to show Mahmúd's fondness for the city. The next Muhammadan reference to Anhilwára is by Núr-ud dín Muhammad U'fi, who lived in the reign of Shams-ud dín Altámsh (A.D. 1211).⁴ In his Romance of History U'fi refers to Anhilwára as the capital of that Jai Ráj, who on receiving the complaint of a poor Musalmán preacher of Cambay, whose mosque the Hindus instigated the fire-worshippers of the place to destroy, left the capital alone on a fleet dromedary and returning after personal enquiry at Cambay summoned the complainant and ordered the chief men of the infidels to be punished and the Musalmán mosque to be rebuilt at their expense.⁵

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¹ Al Idrisi in Elliot's History of India, I. 9. The Balháras or Ráshtrakútas lost their power in A.D. 974. The only explanation of Idrisi's (A.D. 1100) Balháras at Anhilwára is that Idrisi is quoting from Al Bírúni A.D. 950.

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² Farishtah Persian Text Lithographed Bombay Edition, I. 57.

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³ Farishtah Persian Text Lithographed Bombay Edition, IV. 48. The Raurat-us-Safa states that it was at Somnáth the Ghaznavide wanted to fix his capital (IV. 43 Persian Text, Lakhnau Edition). Anahilváda seems more likely.

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⁴ Sir Henry Elliot's History of India, II. 155.

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⁵ The Jámi-úl-Hikáyát in Elliot (History of India), II. 162.

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The Jámi-úl-Hikáyát of Muhammad U'fi alludes to the defeat of Sultán Shaháb-ud-dín or Muhammad bin Sám, usually styled Muhammad Ghori, at the hands of Múlarája II. of Anahilváda in A.D. 1178. And the Tájul Maásir⁶ describes how in A.D. 1297 the Musalmáns under Kutb-ud-dín Aibak retrieved the honour of their arms by the defeat of Karan and his flight from Anhilwára. This account refers to Gajarát as "a country full of rivers and a separate region of the world."⁷ It also notices that Sultán Násir-ud-dín Kabáchah (A.D. 1246-1266) deputed his general Khaskhán from Debal to attack Nahrwára and that Khaskhán brought back many captives and much spoil. After the conquest of Gajarát, in A.D. 1300 Sultán Alá-ud-dín Khilji despatched Ulughkhán (that is the Great Khán commonly styled Alfkhán) to destroy the idol-temple of Somnáth. This was done and the largest idol was sent to Alá-ud-dín.⁸

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⁶ Elliot's History of India, II. 200.

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⁷ Elliot's History of India, II. 229-30.

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⁸ Sir Henry Elliot's History of India, III. 74.

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Chief Towns. Asáwal.

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Asá'wal. Abú Rihán Al Bírúni is the first (A.D. 970-1039) of Arab geographers to mention Asáwal the site of Ahmedábád which he correctly places two days journey from Cambay.¹ The next notice is along with Kháhirtún (probably Kávi on the left mouth of the Máhi) and near Hanáwal or Janáwal, apparently Chanvál or Viramgám, by Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century) as a town, populous, commercial, rich, industrious, and productive of useful articles.² He likens Asáwal "both in size and condition" to Dholaka both being places of good trade.³ In the early fourteenth century (A.D. 1325) Ziá-ud-dín Barni refers to Asáwal as the place where Sultán Muhammad Tughlak (A.D. 1325-1351) had to pass a month in the height of the rains owing to the evil condition to which his horses were reduced in marching and countermarching in pursuit of the rebel Tághi. In the beginning of the fifteenth century (A.D. 1403-4) the Tárikh-i-Mubárak Sháhi notices Asáwal as the place where Tátárkhán the son of Zafarkhán had basely seized and confined his own father.⁴ The Mirát-i-Sikandari also speaks of Asáwal (A.D. 1403) but with the more courtly remark that it was the place where Zafarkhán the grandfather of Sultán Ahmad the founder of Ahmadábád, retired into private life after placing his son Tátárkhán on the throne.⁵ The Mirát-i-Sikandari states that the city of Ahmadábád was built in the immediate vicinity of Asáwal. The present village of Asarwa is, under a slightly changed name, probably what remains of the old town.

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¹ Sachau's Text, 102.

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² Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I. 87.

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³ Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I. 88.

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⁴ Elliot's History of India, III. 250.

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⁵ Bayley's Gujarát, 81.

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Barda. See VALABHI.

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Broach (Báruj, Báru't, Báru's) is one of the places first attacked by the Muslim Arabs. In the fifteenth year of the Hijrah (A.D. 636) the Khalifah Umar appointed Usmán son of Abdul Asi to Bahrein. Usmán sent Hakam to Bahrein and Hakam despatched a fleet to Bárúch (or Broach).⁶ Al Biláduri (A.D. 892-93) speaks of Junaid the son of Abdur Rahmán Al Murri on his appointment to the frontier of Sindh in the Khiláfat of Hishám bin Abdal Malik (A.D. 724-743) sending an expedition to land against Báruj (Broach) . . . . . . and overrunning Jurz⁷ (Gujarát).⁸ Ibni Khurdádbah (A.D. 912) enumerates Bárúh among the countries of Sindh.⁹ Broach is next noticed¹⁰ by Al Birúni (A.D. 970-1039) as standing near the estuary of the river Narbada, as 120 miles (30 parasangs) from Debal, and as being with Rahanjur (Ránder) the capital of Ládes. In describing the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean Al Masúdi (A.D. 915-944) speaks of Broach as باروس Bárús adding from which come the famous lance shafts called Bárúsi.¹² Al Idrisi (A.D. 1100) mentions¹³ Bárúh as a large town well-built of brick and plaster, the inhabitants rich, engaged in trade and ready to enter upon speculations and distant expeditions, a port for vessels coming from China and Sindh, being two days' journey from Saimúr (Chaul) and eight days from Nahrwára Anhilwára Pattan. In the fourteenth century (A.D. 1325) Broach is described as in the flames of the insurrection

Linked texts (2)

Sarasvatī — Sanskrit
Tārīkh-i Fīrūzshāhī — Shams-i Sirāj ʿAfīf