Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s1.1

c19.s1.1

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