Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s1.7

c19.s1.7

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.