Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s2.t1.21

c19.s2.t1.21

Cheul (Saimúr). Al Masúdi (A.D. 943) is the first Arab geographer to mention Saimúr.¹ He says: On the coast as, in Saimúr Sahára and Tána the Láriyya language is spoken. In describing Saimúr Al Masúdi states² that at the time of his visit (A.D. 914) the ruler on behalf of the Balhára was Jhánjha (this is the fifth Siláhára A.D. 916). Nearly ten thousand Musalmáns were settled in Saimúr including some (called Bayásirah) born in the land of Arab parents and others from Síráf and Persian Gulf, Basrah, Baghdád, and other towns. A certain Músa bin Is-hák was appointed Raís or ruler by the Balhára or Valabhi, that is the reigning Ráshtrakúta Indra Nityathvarsha to adjudicate Muhammadan disputes according to Musalmán law and customs. He describes³ at length the ceremony of self-destruction by a *Vesar* youth (a Hindu by religion) to gain a better state in his future life, his scalping himself and putting fire on his head, his cutting out a piece of his heart and sending it to a friend as a souvenir.